Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014

After surpassing 100 billion downloads this year, can�Apple's� (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) iTunes business continue to rake in $17 billion a year?

In a recent Fortune article, Asymco analyst Horace Dediu says that iTunes music sales are lagging. While its video and e-book sales rose 90%, the company saw its music sales increase only 10% last year. Worst of all, Apple is just breaking even on music. So what's the main culprit? Well, it seems like fulfilling millions of micro-transactions (each download from every iTunes user) costs Apple a handsome some.�

It costs Apple so much, in fact, that it's a reason why music-streaming competitors may soon surpass iTunes' popularity. In less than two years, top dog Spotify has reached over 24 million active users in the U.S. And realizing this huge opportunity, Google� (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) and Beats Electronics -- which makes the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones -- will soon launch their own music streaming services.�

However, Apple still has a chance to turn its iTunes business around. In the video below, Fool contributor Kevin Chen explains the one�option Apple has left to disrupt its disruptors. (Hint: It has to do with the company's iPhone and iPad sales). To learn more, watch the video below.

Hot Electric Utility Companies To Own In Right Now: OCI Resources LP (OCIR)

Oci Resources LP, incorporated on April 22, 2013, is a limited partnership formed by OCI Holdings to operate the trona ore mining and soda ash production business of OCI Wyoming. The Company owns a controlling 40.98% general partner interest and 10.02% limited partner interest in OCI Wyoming, serving a global market from its facility in the Green River Basin of Wyoming. As of March 31, 2013, OCI Wyoming had proven and probable reserves of approximately 267.1 million short tons of trona, which is equivalent to 145.5 million short tons of soda ash. During the year ended December 31, 2012, OCI Wyoming mined approximately 3.87 million short tons of trona and produced approximately 2.45 million short tons of soda ash.

Trona, a naturally occurring soft mineral, is also known as sodium sesquicarbonate and consists primarily of sodium carbonate, or soda ash, sodium bicarbonate and water. The Company process trona ore into soda ash, which is an essential raw material in flat glass, container glass, detergents, chemicals, paper and other consumer and industrial products. The majority of the world's trona reserves are located in the Green River Basin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  OCI Resources (NYSE: OCIR) is a subsidiary of Atlanta-based OCI Chemical, which operates the trona ore mining and soda ash production business of one of the largest and lowest cost natural soda ash producers in the world. The partnership debuted on Sept. 13 and had the worst opening day of any MLP IPO since 2010. On the first day of trading, units closed down more than 5 percent. They have since recovered, and now trade 6 percent above the IPO price.  Beginning with the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2013, OCIR intends to distribute at least the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.5000 per unit, or $2 on an annualized basis. At the recent unit closing price of $19.91, this corresponds to a prospective annual yield of 10 percent.
  

• [By Renaissance Capital IPO Research]

  The following IPOs are expected to price this week:
  
  OCI Resources LP (OCIR), a north American soda ash production business of Korea's OCI Chemical, plans to raise $100 million by offering 5.0 million shares at a price range of $19.00 to $21.00. At the midpoint of the proposed range, OCI Resources LP would command a market value of $399 million. OCI Resources LP, which was founded in 1962, booked $446 million in sales over the last 12 months. The Atlanta, GA-based company plans to list on the NYSE under the symbol OCIR. Citi and Goldman Sachs are the joint bookrunners on the deal.

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: First Advantage Bancorp(FABK)

First Advantage Bancorp operates as the holding company for First Federal Savings Bank that provides various financial services to individuals and businesses in Tennessee. The company offers various deposit products comprising non-interest-bearing demand deposits, such as checking accounts; interest-bearing demand accounts, including NOW and money market accounts; regular savings accounts; and certificates of deposit. Its loan portfolio include real estate mortgage loans, including one-to-four family residential loans and nonresidential real estate loans; construction loans for one-to-four family homes, commercial, multi-family, and other nonresidential purposes; land loans for developing vacant land; consumer loans consisting primarily of home equity loans; and commercial business loans secured by equipment, inventory, or accounts receivable to small businesses. As of June 10, 2010, the company operated five full-service offices in Montgomery County. First Advantage Banco rp was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  PL Capital has not filed any 13Ds in a couple of months, but earlier this year it disclosed a 5.99% position in shares of First Advantage Bancorp (FABK). The Clarksville, Tenn.-based bank has seven branches and trades at about 75% of book value. PL Capital also filed a 13D announcing 8% ownership of Mutual First Financial (MFSF) over the summer. The bank has 31 branches and is based in Muncie, Ind. — an area that has seen substantial consolidation in the past few years.

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: CAI International Inc (CAP)

CAI International, Inc., incorporated on January 30, 2007, is a equipment leasing and management company, operating primarily in the international intermodal marine cargo container leasing business. The Company also owns a fleet of railcars, which it leases in North America. The Company operates in two segments: equipment leasing and equipment management. The equipment leasing segment specializes primarily in the ownership and leasing of intermodal containers, while the equipment management segment manages equipment for third-party investors. The Company leases its equipment principally to international container shipping lines located throughout the world. The Company sells equipment primarily to third-party investor groups and provides management services to those investors in return for a management fee.

The equipment leasing segment derives its revenue primarily from the ownership and leasing of containers to container shipping lines and freight forwarders. The equipment management segment derives its revenue from management fees earned from portfolios of equipment and associated leases which are managed on behalf of third-party investors. As of March 31, 2013, our fleet consisted of 1,091,117 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers and 1,453 railcars.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  CAI International, Inc. (NYSE:CAP), a leading lessor of intermodal container, reported that its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Timothy Page, is scheduled to present at the Dahlman Rose Global Transportation Conference in New York on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 12:20 p.m. ET.

• [By Sarah Jones]

  SAP AG (SAP) climbed 1.2 percent to 57.36 euros and Cap Gemini SA (CAP) gained 1.8 percent to 39.95 euros as peer Infosys Ltd. surged the most in six months in Mumbai trading after first-quarter profit rose and the company�� sales forecast in dollar terms beat analyst estimates.

• [By Joseph Hogue]

  Because of management's missteps, the company is one of the most hated in the space. Investors have borrowed and sold short 2.3 million shares, amounting to almost 11% of the shares available for trading. That compares with short interest of just 3.9% in closest peer CAI International (NYSE: CAP).

Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Invest In 2014: Brookline Bancorp Inc.(BRKL)

Brookline Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Brookline Bank, Bank Rhode Island, and The First National Bank of Ipswich, which provide commercial and retail banking services, and cash management and investment services to customers in Central New England. The company accepts various deposit products, including non-interest-bearing checking accounts, interest-bearing NOW accounts, savings accounts and money market savings accounts, certificate of deposit accounts, individual retirement accounts, and other qualified plan accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises first mortgage loans secured by commercial, multi-family, and residential real estate properties; auto loans; loans to business entities consisting of commercial lines of credit; and loans to condominium associations, as well as loans for financing equipment used by small businesses. Brookline Bancorp, Inc. also provides financing for construction and development projects, home equity, and other consumer l oans; and loans to finance coin-operated laundry, dry cleaning, and convenience store equipment and businesses. As of January 25, 2012, it operated 43 branches in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The company was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:BRKL) announced today that it will report third quarter earnings 2012 at the close of business Wednesday, October 24, 2012. Management will host a conference call to review this information at 1:30 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, October 25, 2012.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: PBCT is a member of the S&P 500 and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index. The company's peer group includes: Bank of America Corporation (BAC) with a 0.3% yield, Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) with a 3.7% yield and Westfield Financial Inc. (WFD) with a 3.5% yield.