Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014

Exelon (NYSE: EXC  ) reported earnings (link saves as PDF) today, beating analyst estimates on both top-line and bottom-line numbers.

First-quarter 2013 sales clocked in at $6.89 billion, 11% above analyst expectations of $6.2 billion. This quarter's results are 9.7% higher than Q4 2012, and up 47% from 2012's first quarter (before the company's Constellation merger).

On the bottom line, adjusted EPS fell 17.6% year over year to $0.70, but still managed to beat analyst estimates by $0.02.

CEO Christopher Crane pointed to solid nuclear fleet capacity, improving power prices, and increasingly large synergies from last year's merger�as reasons for Exelon's success.

Looking ahead, the utility reaffirmed its Q2 $0.50 to $0.60 guidance, as well as its 2013 $2.35 to $2.65 EPS, despite lower expected margins for its Constellation segment.

As the nation moves increasingly toward clean energy, Exelon is perfectly positioned to capitalize on having the largest nuclear fleet in North America. This strength, combined with an increased focus on balance sheet health and its recent merger with Constellation, places Exelon and its resized dividend on a short list of the top utilities. To determine if Exelon is a good long-term fit for your portfolio, you're invited to check out The Motley Fool's premium research report on the company. Simply click here now for instant access.

Top 5 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: Activision Blizzard Inc(ATVI)

Activision Blizzard, Inc., through its subsidiaries, publishes online, personal computer (PC), console, and handheld games worldwide. The company develops and publishes PC-based computer games and maintains its proprietary online-game related service, Battle.net. It publishes interactive software products and peripherals. Its products cover various game categories, such as action/adventure, action sports, racing, role-playing, simulation, first-person action, music, and strategy. Activision?s products comprise Monsters vs. Aliens, Guitar Hero, X-Men Origins, PROTOTYPE, Transformers, Ice Age, Wolfenstein, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, Bakugan Battle Brawlers, DJ Hero, Band Hero, Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, Three map packs for Call of Duty, True Crime, Spider-Man, Bakugan, Blur, and Singularity. Its customers include retail outlets and distributors, including mass-market retailers, consumer electronics stores, discount warehouses, and game specialty stores. Activision Blizzard, Inc. is based in Santa Monica, California. Activision Blizzard, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Vivendi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  The world's largest dedicated video-game publishing company began operating on July 10, 2008, a day after Activision and Vivendi shareholders agreed to create Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI  ) . The new company, majority-owned by Vivendi and led by controversial Activision CEO Robert Kotick, had first been proposed in an $18.9 billion deal at the end of 2007 but had been delayed while European regulators ensured that no antitrust laws would be broken.

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: ZELTIQ Aesthetics Inc (ZLTQ)

ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (ZELTIQ), incorporated on March 22, 2005, is a medical technology company. The Company is focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its controlled-cooling technology platform. Its commercial product is the CoolSculpting System that reduces stubborn fat bulges. The Company generates revenues from capital sales of its CoolSculpting System and from procedure fees its physician customers pay for each CoolSculpting procedure they perform. As of March 31, 2011, it had an installed base of 346 and 475 CoolSculpting Systems worldwide and over 88,000 CoolSculpting procedures had been sold to its physician customers. The Company markets CoolSculpting to the dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and aesthetic specialists. As of March 31, 2011, ZELTIQ�� North American direct sales force consisted of 23 professionals, and over 88,000 CoolSculpting procedures were sold to ZELTIQ�� physician customers.

CoolSculpting System

ZELTIQ generates revenues from capital sales of its CoolSculpting System and from procedure fees its physician customers pay for each CoolSculpting procedure they perform. Capital sales of ZELTIQ�� CoolSculpting System include the CoolSculpting control unit and its CoolSculpting vacuum applicators. ZELTIQ generates procedure fees through sales of CoolSculpting procedure packs, which include its consumable gelpads and liners and a disposable computer cartridge that it markets as the CoolCard. The CoolCard contains enabling software that permits its physician customer to perform a fixed number of CoolSculpting procedures.

The CoolSculpting control unit is the base of the CoolSculpting System. ZELTIQ�� CoolSculpting control unit also contains software that tracks and collects data about each procedure performed and any error messages that may be generated during the procedure. CoolSculpting System includes three CoolSculpting vacuum applicators. ZELTIQ�� CoolSculpting procedure packs facilitate the pay-per-procedu! re feature of its CoolSculpting System. Its CoolSculpting procedure packs include CoolCard and its consumable gelpads and liners.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  ZELTIQ Aesthetics (NASDAQ: ZLTQ) was also up, gaining 6.92 percent to $18.76. Stifel Nicolaus initiated coverage on the stock with a Buy rating and a $28.00 price target.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Zeltiq Aesthetics (NASDAQ: ZLTQ  )
  Last, but certainly not least, we have Zeltiq Aesthetics, which utilizes its proprietary medical devices for the selective reduction of fat in patients. Understandably, we're not talking about a pharmacological solution here or even a long-term one necessarily. This is more of an aesthetic solution in cases where diet and exercise aren't meeting the patients' goal, but it should be noted that people will pay top dollar to look healthier and thinner, so Zeltiq's target audience is actually very large.

• [By CRWE]

  ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZLTQ), a medical technology company focused on developing and commercializing products utilizing its proprietary controlled-cooling technology platform, together with the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), reported that the Mercantile Court in Spain on May 4 ruled in their favor regarding the patent infringement lawsuit jointly filed in Spain against Clinipro and Aquaestetica, its Spanish distributor.

• [By John Udovich]

  On Tuesday, small cap biotech stock Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: KYTH) surged around 25% after announcing that its ATX-101 REFINE-1 and REFINE-2 Phase III trials met all primary and secondary endpoints for the reduction of so-called double chins; but if investors missed out on that rally, small caps Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc (NASDAQ: ZLTQ), Solta Medical Inc (NASDAQ: SLTM) and Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO) each have a piece of the aesthetic market as well. In the case of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, its ATX-101 can be injected to deal with double chins���meaning its less invasive than liposuction as the drug dissolves fat cells but leaves other tissue alone. JP Morgan has noted:

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: Oxford Resource Partners LP(OXF)

Oxford Resource Partners, LP, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production of steam coal and surface mined coal in the United States. It holds interests in approximately 21 active surface mines that are managed as 8 mining complexes located in Northern Appalachia and the Illinois Basin to serve its primary market area of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. The company sells its coal primarily to utilities with coal-fired, base-load scrubbed power plants under long-term coal sales contracts, as well as to municipalities, cooperatives, and industrial customers. Oxford Resource Partners, LP was founded in 1985 and is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  There are a few US coal MLPs, many of which have seen their market caps decimated in the past 2 ½ years. Most MLP investors should avoid this sector, as more restrictive EPA regulations and competition from natural gas and renewables will continue to put pressure on coal producers. For bargain hunters who are prepared for the possibility of further downside, there are one or two that have strong balance sheets. But don’t go bargain hunting just on the basis of price. Remember that the worst-performing of all MLPs in 2013 was coal producer Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: OXF) — down 73 percent for the year and illustrative of the coal industry’s struggles.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  1. Oxford Resource Partners

  The coal industry in the US has been badly battered over the past few years. Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: OXF) was a casualty, as the unit price fell 73 percent in 2013. The biggest problem for this producer of coal in the northern Appalachia and the Illinois Basin was that it had to suspend cash distributions in January in response to continued weakness in the coal markets.
  

  2. Rentech Nitrogen Partners

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The National Association of Publicly Traded Partnerships (NAPTP) lists five MLPs in the category ��atural Resources – Coal,��although two of the five are Alliance Holdings (NYSE: AHGP) and its operating affiliate, Alliance Resource Partners (NYSE: ARLP). The other three are Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP), Rhino Resource Partners (NYSE: RNO), and Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: OXF).

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: Rexnord Corp (RXN)

Rexnord Corporation (Rexnord), incorporated on July 13, 2006, is a multi-platform industrial company. The Company comprises of two platforms, Process & Motion Control and Water Management. Rexnord�� Process & Motion Control product portfolio includes gears, couplings, industrial bearings, aerospace bearings and seals, FlatTop chain, engineered chain and conveying equipment, and are marketed and sold globally under brands, including Rexnord, Rex, Falk and Link-Belt. Its Water Management platform operates in the commercial construction market for water management products and the municipal water and wastewater treatment markets. Its Water Management product portfolio includes drainage products, flush valves and faucet products, backflow prevention pressure release valves, PEX piping and engineered valves and gates for the water and wastewater treatment markets. These products are marketed and sold through brand names, including Zurn, Wilkins, VAG, GA, Rodney-Hunt and Fontaine. In August 2013, Rexnord Corp announced that it has acquired the assets of Micro Precision Gear Technology Limited. In December 2013, Rexnord acquired Precision Gear Holdings, LLC (PGH). PGH has two operating subsidiaries, Merit Gear LLC and Precision Gear LLC.

Process & Motion Control

The Company�� Process & Motion Control platform designs, manufactures, markets and services mechanical components used within complex systems. The Company sells its Process & Motion Control products into a diverse group of end markets, including mining, general industrial applications, cement and aggregates, agriculture, forest and wood products, petrochemical, energy, food and beverage, aerospace and wind energy. The Company is a manufacturer of gear drives and gear sets for the heavy duty industrial market. Its gear drives, service and gear sets are used in a number of heavy duty industries. These primary industries include the natural resource extraction, steel, pulp and paper, chemical, forest and wood industries. ! Rexnord manufactures a range of heavy duty, medium and light duty gear drives used for bulk material handling, mixing, pumping and general gearing applications. It also operates a gear service and repair business through its Product Service group (Prager and Renew). Its Couplings are primarily used in high-speed, high-torque applications and are the interface between two shafts that permit power to be transmitted from one shaft to the other. Rexnord�� couplings are sold to a range of end markets, including the petrochemical and refining, wood processing, chemical, power generation and natural resources industries. Couplings comprise of the grid, flexible disc, elastomeric and gear product lines and are sold under the Steelflex, Thomas, Omega, Rex, Viva, Wrapflex, Lifelign, True Torque, Addax and Autogard brand names.

The Company primarily produces mounted bearings, which are offered in a range of specialized housings to suit specific industrial applications. Its FlatTop chain provides a continuous conveying surface that is critical to high-speed operations, such as those used to transport cans and bottles in beverage-filling operations, and is primarily sold to the food and beverage, consumer products, warehousing and distribution, and parts processing industries. The Company supplies its aerospace bearings and seals to the commercial aircraft, military aircraft and regional jet end markets for use in door systems, engine accessories, engine controls, engine mounts, flight control systems, gearboxes, landing gear and rotor pitch controls. Rexnord�� aerospace bearings and seals products consist of rolling element airframe bearings sold under the Shafer brand name, slotted-entry and split-ball sliding bearings sold under the PSI brand name and aerospace seals that are sold under the Cartriseal brand name, which are primarily sold for use in both aerospace and industrial applications.

The Company�� special components products consist of three primary product lines: electri! c motor b! rakes, miniature Process & Motion Control components and security devices for utility companies. These products are manufactured by its businesses, such as Stearns, W.M. Berg and Highfield. Stearns��products are used in a range of applications, including steel mills, oil field equipment, pulp processing equipment, large textile machines, rubber mills, metal forming machinery and dock and pier handling equipment. W.M. Berg sells its products to a range of markets, including aerospace, semiconductor, medical equipment, robotics, instrumentation, office equipment and satellite communications. Highfield�� products are sold to a range of markets, including electric, gas, water, telecommunications, utilities and plumbing and heating.

The Company�� conveying equipment and industrial chain products are used in various applications in a number of industries, including food and food processing, beverage and container, mining, construction and agricultural equipment, hydrocarbon processing and cement and aggregates processing. Its primary products include conveying equipment, engineered steel chain, and roller chain. Its conveying equipment product group provides design, assembly, installation and after-the-sale services primarily to the mining, cement and aggregates industries. Its products include engineered elevators, conveyors and components for medium to heavy duty material handling applications. The Company�� engineered steel chain products are sold under the Link-Belt and Rexnord brand names. These products are used in a number of applications, including cement elevators, construction and mining equipment and conveyors, and they are supplied to the cement and aggregates, energy, food and beverage, and forest and wood products industries.

Water Management

The Company�� Water Management platform designs, procures, manufactures and markets products that provide and enhance water quality, safety, flow control and conservation. The Water Management product port! folio inc! ludes professional grade specification drainage products, flush valves and faucet products, engineered valves and gates for the water and wastewater treatment market and PEX piping and are marketed and sold through brand names, including Zurn, Wilkins, VAG, GA, Rodney Hunt and Fontaine. Rexnord�� Water Management platform has a network of approximately 1,100 independent sales representatives across approximately 210 sales agencies in North America, who work with local engineers, contractors, builders and architects to specify its products for use in construction projects. Its water control and safety products are sold under the Wilkins brand name and encompass a variety of valves, including backflow preventers, fire system valves, pressure reducing valves and thermostatic mixing valves. These products are sold into the commercial and industrial construction applications, as well as the fire protection, waterworks and irrigation end markets.

Zurn�� commercial brass products include manual and sensor operated flush valves marketed under the Aquaflush, AquaSense, AquaVantage and HydroVantage brand names and heavy duty commercial faucets marketed under the AquaSpec brand name. Water conserving fixtures are marketed under the EcoVantage and Zurn One brand names. These products are used in office buildings, schools, hospitals, airports, sports facilities, convention centers, shopping malls, restaurants and industrial production buildings. The Zurn One Systems integrate commercial brass and fixtures into plumbing systems. PEX is its product line manufactured out of cross-linked polyethylene into tubing and is suited for high temperature and pressure fluid distribution piping. Its PEX products include lines of pipe, fittings, valves and installation tools for both potable water and radiant heating systems. Its water and wastewater products are sold under the VAG, GA, Rodney Hunt and Fontaine brand names and are used to control the flow of water and wastewater throughout the water cycle from ra! w water t! hrough collection, distribution and wastewater treatment. Products include automatic control valves, check valves, air valves, butterfly valves, water control gates, hydrants, actuation systems, and other specialized products for municipal, industrial, and hydropower applications. Its product lines are primarily sold into the water supply and treatment markets worldwide.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Each month, Credit Suisse’s small-cap strategists ask the firm’s analyst to name their favorite small- and mid-cap stocks. This month, six new stocks made the list: RPM International (RPM), SunCoke Energy (SXC), Zions Bancorp (ZION), Signature Bank (SBNY), Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and�Rexnord (RXN).

• [By gurujx]

  Rexnord Corp (RXN): SVP & CFO Mark W Peterson Sold 35,983 Shares

  SVP & CFO of Rexnord Corp (RXN) Mark W Peterson sold 35,983 shares on 09/19/2013 at an average price of $20.03.

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: Diamond Resorts International Inc (DRII)

Diamond Resorts International, Inc., incorporated on January 11, 2013, is engaged in the hospitality and vacation ownership industry, with an ownership base of more than 490,000 owner-families, or members, and a network of 296 vacation destinations located in 32 countries throughout the continental United States, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. The Company�� resort network includes 79 Diamond Resorts properties with over 9,000 units that it manages and 213 affiliated resorts and hotels and four cruise itineraries, which it do not manage and do not carry the Company�� brand, but are a part of its network and are available for its members to use as vacation destinations. The Company offers a vacation ownership program whereby members acquire vacation ownership interests ( VOIs), in the form of points. The Company operates in two segments: hospitality and management services and sales and financing of VOIs.

Hospitality and Management Services

The Company is fundamentally a hospitality company that manages a worldwide network of resort properties and provides services to a member base. The Company manages 79 resort properties, as well as seven multi-resort trusts, or Collections, each of which holds ownership interests in a group of resort properties within a geographic region. The Company operates the front desks, furnish housekeeping, maintenance and human resources services and operate amenities such as golf courses, food and beverage venues and retail shops. The Company also provides an online reservation system, a customer service contact center, rental services, billing services, account collections, accounting and treasury functions and communications and information technology services. In addition, a component of its business is THE Club, through which it operates a reservation system that enables its members to use their points to stay at any of the resorts in its network. THE Club also offer! s its members a range of other benefits, such as the opportunity to purchase various products and services (such as consumer electronics, home appliances and insurance products) from third parties at discounted prices, for which it earns commissions.

Sales and Financing of VOIs

As part of the Company�� hospitality and management services, the Company enters into agreements with its managed resorts and the Collections, under which it reacquires VOIs from members who fail to pay their annual maintenance fees or other assessments, serving as the principal source of its VOI inventory that it sells. The Company sells VOIs principally through presentations, which it refers to as tours at its 50 sales centers, substantially all of which are located at its managed resorts. The Company generates sales prospects by utilizing a range of marketing programs, including presentations at its managed resorts targeted at existing members and current guests who stay on a per-night or per-week basis, overnight mini-vacation packages, targeted mailings, telemarketing, gift certificates and various destination-specific marketing efforts.

The Company competes with Four Seasons Resorts, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Hyatt Corporation, Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corporation, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc., The Walt Disney Company, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation, Bluegreen Corporation, Home Away and Airbnb.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The company had FCF of $140 million in FY13. Long-term EPS projections are at 15%. FY14 earnings are pegged at $2.61, so the $52.71 stock trades at 20x earnings. So, VAC is a bit pricey, but it’s still a great buy for anyone considering timeshare stocks.

  Diamond Resorts International (DRII)

  Diamond Resorts International (DRII) has an broad property base for a timeshare stock. It boasts 490,000 owners across a network of 300 vacation sites in 33 countries including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: Unwired Planet Inc (UPIP)

Unwired Planet, Inc. (Unwired Planet), formerly Openwave Systems Inc., incorporated on December 16, 1994, is an intellectual property and technology licensing company. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had patent portfolio of approximately 200 issued United States and foreign patents and approximately 75 pending applications, many of which is considered foundational to mobile communications. In May 2012, the Company officially changed name to Unwired Planet, Inc.

On February 1, 2012, the Company sold its location business to Persistent Telecom Solutions Inc. On April 30, 2012, the Company completed the sale of its mediation and messaging product businesses to Openwave Mobility, Inc. The Company generates revenue by licensing its patented innovations and technologies to companies that develop mobile communications software infrastructure or hardware and/or develop mobile communications products.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anora Mahmudova]

  Among individual stocks, Unwired Planet (UPIP) , an intellectual property company focused on the mobile industry, soared 49% after news that Chinese computer-maker Lenovo Group Ltd. (HK:0992) �was buying 21 of its patent families for $100 million.

Top 10 Clean Energy Companies For 2014: Eaton Vance Corporation (EV)

Eaton Vance Corp., through its subsidiaries, engages in the creation, marketing, and management of investment funds in the United States. It also provides investment management and counseling services to institutions and individuals. Further, the company operates as an adviser and distributor of investment companies and separate accounts. As of October 31, 2004, the company provided investment advisory or administration services to approximately 150 funds; approximately 1,300 separately managed individual and institutional accounts; and participated in approximately 40 retail-managed account broker/dealer programs. It markets and distributes shares of funds through a retail network of national and regional broker/dealers, banks, insurance companies, and financial planning firms. Eaton Vance Corp. was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  I think Rockwood Holdings is a good example of a company in the battery and power storage business with really promising prospects. Rockwood makes specialty surface treatment chemicals. It's also a major producer of lithium and lithium compounds used in lithium-ion batteries. This battery business has several industrial end users, but is particularly compelling in the development of electronic vehicle (EV) batteries. In fact, the surface treatment business has dominated revenues of late, but the lithium business has been driving the company's EBIT, which is a trend that seems likely to continue. The company is involved in a joint venture, which was announced in December and is still awaiting regulatory approval, with a Chinese company that will position Rockwood to capture approximately half of the globe's lithium supply. We've been building a position in Value Plus for the last nine months. The stock has done all right over the last year, but hasn't taken off in the way I think it can once the potential for its lithium business is better understood.

• [By Value Digger]

  Halcon produced 18,348 boepd (81% oil and liquids) in Q4 2012, and it had 108.8 MMboe proved reserves as of December 2012. With Enterprise Value (EV) at $5.5 billion currently (including the recent additional debt), Halcon trades at $300,000 per flowing barrel, $50.5/boe of proved reserves and PBV=2.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Investment management firm�Eaton Vance (NYSE: EV  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.20 per share, the same rate it's paid for the past three quarters after raising the payout 5% from $0.19 per share.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Some of T. Rowe Price's competitors have made moves toward offering actively managed ETFs. For instance, earlier this year, Eaton Vance (NYSE: EV  ) filed with the SEC to create a new type of ETF, limiting the amount of disclosure the company would have to make about its holdings. So far, actively managed ETF have largely been limited to the bond arena, where requirements for daily disclosure of holdings don't represent as much of a loss of proprietary information. For now, T. Rowe Price has said it has no immediate plans to offer active ETFs.