Mexican shoppers head to Texas to avoid higher tax

SAN MARCOS, Texas — Texas retailers are getting an early Christmas gift this year from their southern neighbor: swarms of eager Mexican shoppers.

A recent sales tax hike in Mexico's northern region has been sending Mexican citizens north of the border — in cars, planes and tour buses — for their Christmas shopping. The shoppers — looking to save money and score on the latest brand names of TVs, toys and clothing — are arriving by the busload from as far away as Mexico City and Jalisco to outlet centers and malls across Texas, said Pete Garcia, executive director of the South Texas chapter of the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

"It will be a huge benefit for all of South Texas, from the border of El Paso to McAllen all the way up to San Antonio, San Marcos and Houston," he said. "You're going to see a significant jump in those shoppers."

Mexican lawmakers in October raised the sales tax in the country's northern region from 11% to 16% — or twice the rate in most Texas municipalities, said Tom Fullerton, professor of economics and finance at the University of Texas-El Paso. Mexico's northern region had enjoyed a lower rate for decades to compete with U.S. retailers across the border, but the tax was raised to equal the rest of the country as part of nationwide tax reforms, he said. Texas' statewide sales tax is 6.25%, but municipalities can raise that another 2 percentage points.

Mexican residents typically account for around $4.5 billion in retail sales in Texas counties along the Mexican border, Fullerton said. That number is expected to jump by $225 million due to the new tax hike, with retailers as far inland as Houston and San Antonio reaping the benefits, he said.

Even though the tax increase doesn't go into effect until January, the bad publicity the measure received in Mexico is driving shoppers across the border early for their Christmas shopping, Fullerton said.

"This was a very controversial bill in Mexico," he said. "There will be a lot ! of customers who will be shopping across the border even before the actual tax occurs."

At the Tanger Outlets in San Marcos on Saturday, white passenger buses with Mexican plates pulled up to the curb and dislodged clusters of Spanish-speaking passengers who headed straight to Old Navy, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic and other stores. The parking lot resembled a lot in Guadalajara or Monterrey, crowded with cars with license plates from Coahula, Nuevo Leon, Jalisco, Tamaulipas and Ciudad Mexico.

Ernesto Rangel, 45, drove the 14 hours from Mexico City to San Marcos to get the latest models in electronics and clothing, do some Christmas shopping — and avoid the higher sales tax.

"It's cheaper, and we find things you can't find in Mexico," he said as he positioned a new Phillips surround sound system in the trunk of his car. "I can do all my Christmas shopping here."

Mexican residents make up such a significant part of the outlet center's sales that management recently printed off promotional posters and brochures in Spanish and plastered them around the sprawling center, said John Lairsen, the outlet center's general manager. "I'll assume we'll continue to see that increase" with the new tax hike, he said.

Outside, one of the large white passenger vans contained the family of Carlos Gomez, 54, of Jalisco, Mexico. Gomez was leading his extended family — 28 people from five families — on a shopping and sightseeing tour that included stops in San Antonio, Houston and San Marcos. The caravan drove from Jalisco, past the malls in northern Mexico and straight to the outlet center in San Marcos, where they hoped to stock up on designer clothes, electronic toys and TVs.

Having so many shops in one place makes it worth the trip, he said.

"We do it for the convenience and for the sales," Gomez said. "Plus, we make a vacation out of it."

What age is best to start taking Social Security?

USA TODAY personal finance reporter John Waggoner answers a different reader question every week on retirement. To submit a question, e-mail John at jwaggoner@usatoday.com.

Q: I was born in 1951. What's the best age to start taking Social Security?

A: You're 62, so you could start taking your Social Security benefits now.

But you'd be better off waiting. If you retire now, a $1,000 monthly benefit would be cut to $750, according to the Social Security Administration. You won't be able to collect your full benefit until you hit age 66.

NEW: USA TODAY Retirement Section

You receive your maximum benefit at age 70, and you won't get a larger benefit if you wait until after 70 to collect. By and large, you'll get about the same amount of money from Social Security whether you retire early or not.

If you retire now, you'll get smaller payments over a longer time. But if the level of income you get is important, your best bet is to wait.

SOCIAL SECURITY: What you don't know about it can hurt you

3 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Put down the 10-K filings and the stock screeners. It's time to take a break from the traditional methods of generating investment ideas. Instead, let the crowd do it for you.

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

From hedge funds to individual investors, scores of market participants are turning to social media to figure out which stocks are worth watching. It's a concept that's known as "crowdsourcing," and it uses the masses to identify emerging trends in the market.

Crowdsourcing has long been a popular tool for the advertising industry, but it also makes a lot of sense as an investment tool. After all, the market is completely driven by the supply and demand, so it can be valuable to see what names are trending among the crowd.

While some fund managers are already trying to leverage social media resources like Twitter to find algorithmic trading opportunities, for most investors, crowdsourcing works best as a starting point for investors who want a starting point in their analysis. Today, we'll leverage the power of the crowd to take a look at some of the most active stocks on the market today.

>>5 Big Stocks to Trade for Big Gains

These "most active" names are the most heavily-traded names on the market -- and often, uber-active names have some sort of a technical or fundamental catalyst driving investors' attention on shares. That's especially true now that earnings season is officially underway. And when there's a big catalyst, there's often a trading opportunity.

Without further ado, here's a look at today's stocks.

Alpha Natural Resources

Nearest Resistance: $7.50

Nearest Support: $6.75

Catalyst: Earnings, Outlook

>>5 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now

Statistically speaking, materials stocks have been the biggest price winners on the heels of earnings surprise this quarter, and Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) is providing the perfect case in point today. Alpha reported a 61-cent per share loss for the third quarter, less than the 77 cents in the red that Wall Street expected. Better, the firm expects to see better numbers in the coming year thanks to lower coal production costs.

Even though ANR has been hammered lower for most of 2013, the downtrend in shares broke back in the middle of October, pointing to a reprieve for shareholders. Resistance at $7.50 could still be a stumbling block in the near-term, though; risk averse investors should wait to see if ANR can catch a bid above $7.50 before buying.

JDS Uniphase

Nearest Resistance: $14.50

Nearest Support: $13

Catalyst: Guidance

>>Hack Earnings Season With These Serial Surprisers

Communications specialist JDS Uniphase (JDSU) is getting hammered down 9% this afternoon after posting its fiscal first-quarter earnings after the bell yesterday. It's not that earnings were bad for JDSU -- the firm actually beat expectations for the period, and swung to a profit -- but guidance doesn't look pretty. Shareholders are unloading this stock on worries over weaker revenues than expected for the year ahead.

Intraday, JDSU looks likely to hit the brakes by support at $13, but that doesn't mean that the longer-term selling is over. Shares have been in an uptrend (if a wobbly one) since the summer, and $13 is make-or-break mode for those higher lows. If support gets violated, look out below.

Barrick Gold

Nearest Resistance: $21

Nearest Support: $17

Catalyst: Earnings

>>4 Stocks Triggering Big Breakout Trades

Gold mining giant Barrick Gold (ABX) is down close to 4% this afternoon following the firm's third quarter earnings call this morning. I've said before that I think lower prices are in store for gold -- and even more so for gold miners like Barrick. High gold production costs and falling gold prices have hampered profitability at ABX in the last quarter, and investors are selling shares after the 43% haircut they've taken in 2013.

From a technical standpoint, Barrick's chart still looks broken. Resistance at $21 has swatted back buying pressure on four attempts since April, and while today's selling isn't abnormally large, it's just more distribution on the way down.

To see these stocks in action, check out the at Most-Active Stocks portfolio on Stockpickr.



-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

RELATED LINKS:

>>4 Stocks Spiking on Big Volume

>>Own Gold? Here's Why It's Time to Sell

>>4 Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Jonas Elmerraji, CMT, is a senior market analyst at Agora Financial in Baltimore and a contributor to

TheStreet. Before that, he managed a portfolio of stocks for an investment advisory returned 15% in 2008. He has been featured in Forbes , Investor's Business Daily, and on CNBC.com. Jonas holds a degree in financial economics from UMBC and the Chartered Market Technician designation.

Follow Jonas on Twitter @JonasElmerraji

Investors wait for Washington to get act together

Click the chart for more stock market data.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Investors moved to the sidelines Tuesday as they waited for developments in Washington and digested a batch of earnings.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 fell slightly in early trading following four straight days of gains. The Nasdaq was flat.

Senate leaders have said they have made "tremendous progress" toward an agreement to end the partial government shutdown and raise the debt limit, but investors are taking a cautious approach. Even if the Senate gets a deal, it still needs to win support in the House of Representatives, which is far from certain. And there were reports Tuesday morning that the House may push a separate bill.

On the earnings front, Citigroup (C, Fortune 500) was the latest big bank to disappoint investors. The company reported third quarter profits and revenues that fell short of analysts' expectations, sending shares lower. The bank noted that the spike in interest rates over the summer caused a slowdown in new mortgages and refinancings, as well as bond trading.

Coca-Cola (KO, Fortune 500)shares rose after the beverage maker reported an increase in its third-quarter profit, as global sales volume rose 2%. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ, Fortune 500) shares also moved higher after the company reported gains in quarterly sales and profit.

Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500) and Intel (INTC, Fortune 500) are set to report in the afternoon.

FedEx (FDX, Fortune 500) shares rose sharply after the shipping giant announced plans to buy back 32 million shares, bolstering its existing share repurchase program.

Tesla (TSLA) and Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) gained ground after analysts upgraded their ratings on the stocks. Wedbush upgraded Tesla to outperform from neutral, while Jefferies boosted Microsoft's rating to buy from hold.

Meanwhile, Facebook (FB, Fortune 500) shares jumped after Evercore analysts said they believe the social media company's stock will rise to $60 and reiterated their overweight rating.

World markets: European markets were pushing higher in afternoon trading. Alastair McCaig, market strategist for IG in London, said he was surprised that European stocks were up given "the sorry shenanigans of Washington."

Though the broa! der market was higher, shares of Burberry (BBRYF) fell nearly 6% in London after the fashion company announced its CEO -- Angela Ahrendts -- would be leaving for the top retail job at Apple (AAPL, Fortune 500).

Most major Asian markets ended the day with modest gains.

Stocks Slip on Concern Washington to Drag Corporate Outlooks

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Major U.S. stock markets were slipping Tuesday as investors monitor the economic uncertainties spurred by the drawn-out fiscal debates in Washington and attempt to gauge the impact on corporate outlooks as the third-quarter earnings season begins this week.

Still, there is optimism that the impasse over debt-ceiling talks in government will be resolved as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid prepares to unveil a standalone bill to increase the government's borrowing caps.

Reid's bill would allow the U.S. at least $1 trillion in additional borrowing room beyond the $16.7 trillion debt limit expected to be breached on October 17, providing the government with enough borrowing ability to pay its bills through next year's general elections in November.

The S&P 500 was down 0.37% to 1,669.85, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was off 0.37% to 14,881.27. The Nasdaq was giving up 0.85% to 3,738.45. "If it gets off the ground, it ends the threat of a debt default for the immediate future," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in Manhattan, in an emailed comment about Senate's expected move. "We think earnings sentiment remains neutral as the political impasse overshadows for now. However, that's not to say individual companies will not be punished," he added. Tower Group International (TWGP) was dropping 36.3% to $4.74, its steepest fall since its 2004 public market debut, after the Bermuda-based insurer said that it will have to explore "a range of strategic options" following a goodwill impairment charge of about $215 million and its discovery that it will have to add $365 million to its loss reserves reflecting payouts owed for workers compensation among a host of other liabilities. Jamba, Inc. (JMBA) was sinking 18.63% to $10.95 after the smoothie maker said that less impactful than usual marketing campaigns amid a slowdown in consumer spending will reduce third-quarter same-store sales by 3% to 4% and that 2013 same-store sales may show up flat to up 1%. Xerox (XRX) was surrendering 0.96% to $10.30 after the office equipment company disclosed that it is being probed by the Securities and Exchange Commission on certain accounting practices at Affiliated Computer Services, a business it bought in February 2010 and is now a part of Xerox's Services unit. IT management company SolarWinds (SWI) was shedding 2.21% to $33.70 after saying that it will buy privately held Confio Software for $103 million in cash. Alcoa (AA) will be reporting after the market close, while JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Wells Fargo (WFC) will be releasing their quarterly results on Friday. The benchmark 10-year Treasury was falling 3/32, raising the yield to 2.641%. Follow @atwtse -- Written by Andrea Tse in New York >To contact the writer of this article, click here: Andrea Tse.>

How to discuss money with an ex

Imagine you are talking to a business associate -- you're less likely to say something you'll regret.

(Money Magazine) If there's anything worse than fighting about money with a spouse, it's fighting about money with an ex-spouse.

Unfortunately, you could find yourself having to discuss dollars and cents with your former flame long after you've said "I don't" -- particularly if you have children together, says Alton Abramowitz, head of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Extracurricular activities and other discretionary expenses, for example, often are not covered in the divorce agreement, and past partners sometimes continue to own a family home together. When you must talk money with a former honey, try these tricks to avoid reliving what caused your breakup in the first place.

The Ground Rules

Strip out the emotions. Distance yourself by imagining you're talking to a business associate, says Kimberly Pryor, creator of the Rebuilding Your Life DVDs and blog. "You're less likely to say something you'd regret."

Beware of blame. "Saying something like 'If you'd done the taxes properly, we wouldn't have this debt,' feels good in the moment, but it won't serve you in the long run," says Pryor.

Instead focus on finding a solution. "Remember, the sooner you solve the problem, the sooner you can break free of your ex."

When You're Face to Face...

1. Opening gambit: "Sally's really getting into soccer, and it's starting to get pricey. I'm hoping we might be able to meet for coffee to discuss her plans."

  Couples sound off on spending

Why it works: Rather than making demands, you're framing the discussion as a joint decision, says Abramowitz. Scheduling a meeting works better than dropping a stress bomb like "I need $500 for Junior's textbooks." And it's best to talk when the kids aren't around, so they don't feel caught in the middle.

2. Make it a question: "She wants to train with a private coach. How do you feel about that?"

Why it works: You're priming your ex to see things from your perspective by letting him know that you're willing to do the same. "Empathy is what drives good outcomes," says Linda Leitz, a certified financial planner and author of We Need to Talk: Mone! y and Kids After Divorce.

3. Present the facts: "I appreciate the child support, which covers Sally's food, clothing, and medical bills. There's nothing left for coaching, which runs $65 an hour."

Why it works: An ex who already pays alimony or child support is likely to question why he or she needs to pony up more money, says Leitz. Instead of getting defensive, show gratitude. Come ready to illustrate how those funds are used and the exact cost of whatever's at issue.

4. Diffuse tension: "Tell me what you think is fair to contribute. I'm sure we can find a solution that's in Sally's best interest."

Why it works: Your ex may be inclined to argue, because of budget constraints or simply because disagreement has become the status quo between you. With this approach, you preempt friction by letting your past partner spell out his or her preferences first. The answer can give you direction toward finding a compromise.

5. Reflect back: "So we've agreed that you'll cover 25% of the coaching costs, plus any new gear she needs at the start of every season?"

Why it works: "It's not about trapping your ex," says Leitz. "It's about making sure you're on the same page so future disagreements don't arise."

The Deal: U.K. Raises $5.1B Through Lloyds Selldown

Top Small Cap Companies To Own In Right Now

LONDON (The Deal) -- The British government's UK Financial Investments Ltd. said Tuesday, Sept. 17, it had sold a 6% stake in Lloyds Banking Group (LYG) for just over over 3.2 billion pounds ($5.1 billion).

Monday's long-awaited accelerated bookbuilding exercise to institutional investors marked UKFI's first selldown of shares in Lloyds, which the previous Labour government had rescued in January 2009 after arranging for it to take over troubled peer HBOS.

Shares changed hands for 75 pence, above the "blended" 73.6 pence which the government is estimated to have paid for its stake, meaning the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition government should be able to declare it has made a profit of about 60 million pounds on the transaction. The stock was priced at a 3.1% discount to Monday's close. Before Monday, Lloyds shares had risen about 25% in the past three months and are close to a five-year high.

The sale leaves UKFI, the vehicle which manages state banking holdings accrued during the credit crisis, with 32.7% of Lloyds. UKFI is bound by a 90-day lockup on its remaining shares but the restriction can be waived with the written consent of a majority of the investment banks selling the shares. The state is seen likely to offer a second tranche to a wider pool of investors early next year. "We regard the government's timing as impeccable, and it appears credible to suggest that it could yet be out in full by the election," noted Investec Bank analyst Ian Gordon. The national elections will take place in May 2015 and the coalition government had been eager to start the Lloyds selloff well before. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne called the sale "another step to repair what went so badly wrong in the economy" under the previous Labour government. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Cazenove Ltd. and UBS handled the placing. Charlie Foreman and William Rucker of Lazard and Slaughter and May advised on the placing. Lloyds shares in early trading were down 1.56 pence at 75.80 pence. --Written by Laura Board

Mid-Day Market Update: Agilent Shares Rise On Upbeat Earnings; Western Union Drops

Midway through trading Friday, the Dow traded up 0.27 percent to 15,919.54 while the NASDAQ gained 0.08 percent to 3,975.79. The S&P also rose, surging 0.12 percent to 1,792.81.

Top Headline
Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) reported upbeat third-quarter net income.

Nordstrom's quarterly net income declined to $137 million, or $0.69 per share, from $146 million, or $0.71 per share, in the year-earlier period.

Its revenue climbed 3% to $2.88 billion from $2.81 billion, while revenue from stores open at least a year gained 0.1 percent. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.67 per share on revenue of $2.87 billion.

Equities Trading UP
Voxeljet AG (NYSE: VJET) shot up 12.58 percent to $58.99 after the company reported its unaudited financial results for the third quarter and nine months ending September 30, 2013.

Shares of Youku Tudou (NYSE: YOKU) got a boost, shooting up 11.08 percent to $29.28 after the company reported a Q3 gross profit of RMB82.3 million (US$13.4 million).

Agilent Technologies (NYSE: A) was also up, gaining 8.75 percent to $54.96 after the company reported an upbeat Q4 profit.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Tile Shop Holdings (NASDAQ: TTS) were down 2.16 percent to $12.67. Citigroup downgraded Tile Shop from Buy to Neutral.

Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO) shares tumbled 2.01 percent to $28.22 after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from Equal-weight to Underweight.

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) was down, falling 5.26 percent to $16.53 after the company announced that Scott T. Scheirman , Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will be leaving the company.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.03 percent to $93.79, while gold traded up 0.09 percent to $1,287.40.

Silver traded up 0.06 percent Friday to $20.74, while copper rose 0.30 percent to $3.18.

Eurozone
European shares were mostly higher today. The Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.10 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index fell 0.41 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX gained 0.29 percent and the French CAC 40 climbed 0.19 percent while U.K. shares rose 0.45 percent.

Economics
US import prices declined 0.7 percent in October, versus economists' expectations for a 0.5 percent fall. Export prices fell 0.5 percent in October.

The Empire State's general business conditions index declined to negative 2.2, versus positive 1.5 in October. However, economists were estimating a positive reading of 5.0.

Industrial production dropped 0.1 percent in October. However, economists were projecting no change in production.

US wholesale inventories rose 0.40 percent for September, versus economists' expectations for a 0.40 percent gain.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Commodities Forex Global Econ #s Economics Hot Intraday Update Markets Movers Tech

(c) 2013 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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Monetary Stimulus Leaving Average Americans and Precious Metals Behind

Why is the average American falling behind in our economy?

Millions of Americans feel as though they are being left behind while the disparity between themselves and the rich continues to grow.

Over the last few years, the Federal Reserve has enacted the most aggressive monetary stimulus program in the central bank’s history. But even with the Fed’s trillions of new dollars thrown into the economy, most Americans do not feel any more financially secure or wealthier than before.

Now, when we look at the stock market, one could easily assume that the monetary stimulus brought on by our central bank is having a positive impact.

Let’s take a look at another country whose central bank has also been pushing a very easy monetary stimulus program for years; of course, I’m talking about the Japanese central bank.

Also Read: NYSE Holidays 2014

We all know the Japanese economy has been in a slump for multiple decades. If monetary stimulus were the answer to all ills, why is Japan’s economy still weak? Let’s take a closer look at the average Japanese citizen for the answer.

According to a report by Japan’s central bank, 31% of Japanese households have no financial assets—a new record-high. This survey has been conducted since 1963. (Source: Bank of Japan web site, last accessed November 12, 2013.)

How could this be? The central bank in Japan has been pushing a very aggressive monetary stimulus program, which has led to a drop in the value of the country’s currency and an increase in the stock market in Japan of approximately 60% this year.

While monetary stimulus by the central bank did help push up stocks, it has done nothing for wages in Japan. Almost 41% of those surveyed reported that the reason why they had to pull money out of their savings was due to a lack of income growth from wages.

What’s the lesson?

We keep hearing from every central bank that if they could continue pumping monetary stimulus (money printing) into the economy, this will lead to a stronger jobs market and wage gains and everything will be perfect.

But looking at the actual evidence, we still do not see any wage growth in America or Japan. Both the Japanese and American central banks have put on massive monetary stimulus programs and still, no increase in incomes for the average citizen.

However, stock markets in both nations have soared. The wealthy have a large percentage of their assets in the stock market, and they have benefited. The average American, whose primary income comes from wages, has fallen behind.

You cannot get higher wages without a stronger jobs market and greater job gains. We need to hire millions of Americans before incomes begin rising.

When a central bank is determined to create inflation through monetary stimulus, I think it would be foolish for investors to ignore this. While inflation is still relatively low now, monetary stimulus means that the worst place for an investor to be is sitting on cash.

If a central bank is successful in creating higher asset prices, this means that everyone needs to have some investments that will also move up in value. We’ve already seen the stock market benefit; I would look to places where there is more room to the upside, such as precious metals.

For the long term, I always try to buy when others are selling and sell when others are buying. Investors are buying heavily into the stock market, while gold and silver are languishing. This is the perfect time to be rebalancing a well-diversified portfolio. Investors should consider taking profits in stocks and adding to the precious metals component of their portfolio.

This article Monetary Stimulus Leaving Average Americans and Precious Metals Behind was originally published at Investment Contrarians

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Commodities Markets Trading Ideas

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5 Earnings Short-Squeeze Plays

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Short-sellers hate being caught short a stock that reports a blowout quarter. When this happens, we often see a tradable short squeeze develop as the bears rush to cover their positions to avoid big losses. Even the best short-sellers know that it's never a great idea to stay short once a bullish earnings report sparks a big short-covering rally.

This is why I scan the market for heavily shorted stocks that are about to report earnings. You only need to find a few of these stocks in a year to help enhance your portfolio returns -- the gains become so outsized in such a short time frame that your profits add up quickly.

That said, let's not forget that stocks are heavily shorted for a reason, so you have to use trading discipline and sound money management when playing earnings short-squeeze candidates. It's important that you don't go betting the farm on these plays and that you manage your risk accordingly. Sometimes the best play is to wait for the stock to break out following the report before you jump in to profit off a short squeeze. This way, you're letting the trend emerge after the market has digested all of the news.

Of course, sometimes the stock is going to be in such high demand that you risk missing a lot of the move by waiting. That's why it can be worth betting prior to the report -- but only if the stock is acting technically very bullish and you have a very strong conviction that it is going to rip higher. Just remember that even when you have that conviction and have done your due diligence, the stock can still get hammered if The Street doesn't like the numbers or guidance.

If you do decide to bet ahead of a quarter, then you might want to use options to limit your capital exposure. Heavily shorted stocks are usually the names that make the biggest post-earnings moves and have the most volatility. I personally prefer to wait until all the earnings-related news is out for a heavily shorted stock and then jump in and trade the prevailing trend.

With that in mind, here's a look at several stocks that could experience big short squeezes when they report earnings this week.

Vera Bradley

My first earnings short-squeeze play is designer, producer and retailer of functional accessories for women Vera Bradley (VRA), which is set to release numbers Wednesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Vera Bradley to report revenue of $124.81 million on earnings of 32 cents per share.

Just this morning, Lazard Capital said it expects Vera Bradley's second quarter results to miss guidance and consensus estimates and reiterates a sell rating on the stock with a $16 price target. The firm also said the company's third quarter outlook will miss estimates due to sales below plan and promotions above plan.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float Vera Bradley is extremely high at 55.2%. That means that out of the 21.61 million shares in the tradable float, 11.09 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 5.4%, or by about 565,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a bullish quarter, then shares of VRA could easily rip higher post-earnings.

From a technical perspective, VRA is currently trending below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bearish. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month and change, with shares falling from its high of $26.33 to its intraday low of $18.67. During that move, shares of PBY have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action.

If you're bullish on VRA, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $20.09 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 423,263 shares. If that breakout hits, then VRA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 50-day moving average at $21.79 or its 200-day moving average of $23.30 a share.

I would simply avoid VRA or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back its 52-week low at $18.67 a share (or its intraday low Wednesday if lower) with high volume. If we get that move, then VRA will set up to enter new 52-week low territory, which is bearish technical price action. Some possible targets if we get that move are $16 to $15 a share.

Restoration Hardware

Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade is home furnishings retailer Restoration Hardware (RH), which is set to release its numbers Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Restoration Hardware to report revenue of $377.60 million on earnings of 43 cents per share.

Just recently, Janney Capital initiated shares of Restoration Hardware with a buy rating and a price target of $82 per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Restoration Hardware is pretty high at 10.6%. That means that out of the 34.27 million shares in the tradable float, 2.55 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 11.7%, or by about 267,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of RH could experience a big short-squeeze post-earnings.

From a technical perspective, RH is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $63.81 to its intraday high of $78.29 a share. During that move, shares of RH have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of RH into news 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action.

If you're in the bull camp on RH, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to take out its all-time high of $78.29 a share (or its intraday high Tuesday if greater) with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 656,881 shares. If that breakout triggers, then RH will set up to enter new all-time high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $85 to $90 a share.

I would simply avoid RH or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support $72 a share to its 50-day at $69.90 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then RH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $66 to $65, or even $64 a share.

Oxford Industries

One potential earnings short-squeeze candidate is men's apparel products player Oxford Industries (OXM), which is set to release numbers Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Oxford Industries to report revenue of $243.48 million on earnings of 98 cents per share.

If this company can manage to beat or meet Wall Street's earnings estimates this quarter, then it would mark the biggest quarterly gain in the last six quarter.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Oxford Industries is not able at 5.7%. That means that out of the 14.31 million shares in the tradable float, 817,000 shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 3.8%, or by about 29,000 shares. If the bears are caught being too aggressive into a solid quarter, then shares of OXM could soar higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

From a technical perspective, OXM is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock recently sold off hard from its August high of $69.29 to its low of $61.10 with higher-than-average volume flows. Shares of OXM have now started to rebound a bit off that low of $61.10 with strong upside volume flows. That move is quickly pushing shares of OXM within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're bullish on OXM, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 50-day moving average at $65.77 a share to more resistance at $65.93 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 103,286 shares. If that breakout triggers, then OXM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $69.28 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give OXM a chance to trend well north of $70 a share.

I would avoid OXM or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that move, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $63 to $61.10 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then OXM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $57.70 a share to its 200-day moving average at $57.09 a share.

Coldwater Creek

Another earnings short-squeeze prospect is specialty retailer of women's apparel, accessories, jewelry and gift items Coldwater Creek (CWTR), which is set to release numbers Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Coldwater Creek to report revenue of $162.81 million on a loss of 63 cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Coldwater Creek is very high at 18.8%. That means that out of the 12.17 million shares in the tradable float, 3.47 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a big short interest on a stock with a very low tradable float. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then this stock could easily explode higher post-earnings.

From a technical perspective, CWTR is currently trending just below its 50-day moving average and well below its 200-day moving average, which is bearish. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $2.16 on the downside and $2.80 on the upside. A high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a breakout trade for CWTR post-earnings.

If you're bullish on CWTR, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.51 to $2.69 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $2.80 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 192,994 shares. If that breakout hits, then CWTR will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from June that started near $3.60 a share.

I would simply avoid CWTR or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $2.35 to its 52-week low at $2.16 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then CWTR will set up to enter new 52-week low territory, which is bearish technical price action. Some possible targets off that move are $1.80 to $1.78 a share.

Pep Boys -- Manny, Moe & Jack

My final earnings short-squeeze play is auto shop and care for car provider Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack (PBY), which is set to release numbers Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack to report revenue of $539.35 million on earnings of 19 cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Pep Boys – Manny, Moe & Jack is notable at 5.3%. That means that out of the 49.15 million shares in the tradable float, 2.73 million shares are sold short by the bears. This is a decent short interest on a stock with relatively low float. Any bullish earnings news could easily spark a sharp short-covering rally for shares of PBY post-earnings.

From a technical perspective, PBY is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock recently pulled back from its August high of $13 to its low of $10.94 a share. Shares of PBY have now started to rebound off that $10.94 low and its moving back above its 200-day moving average at $12.08 a share. That move has pushed shares of PBY within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

If you're in the bull camp on PBY, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 50-day moving average at $12.08 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 236,667 shares. If that breakout hits, then PBY will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $13 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then give PBY a chance to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from mid-2012 that started at $15 a share.

I would avoid PBY or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $11.24 to $10.94 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then PBY will set up to re-test or possibly take out some key near-term support at $10.21 a share to its 52-week low at $9.17 a share.

To see more potential earnings short squeeze plays, check out the Earnings Short Squeeze Plays portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

 

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>>5 Tech Stocks Spiking on Big Volume
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>>4 Red-Flag Stocks to Sell This Fall

 

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

 

Bulls Looking for Breakout in AAR

  By David Russell of OptionMonster     NEW YORK -- Option volume was off the charts in AAR (AIR) on Monday, with traders looking for multi-year highs by early 2014.   OptionMonster's trade scanners showed heavy buying in the February 35 calls, with initial blocks fetching 55 cents and large trades later going for up to 89 cents. Almost 4,200 contracts traded against previous open interest of just 12 contracts, so new money was clearly put to work.   These calls lock in the price where shares can be purchased in the diversified provider of products and services to the worldwide commercial and defense aviation markets. Traders use them to cheaply position for a rally or to leverage otherwise small moves.   AAR rose 1.09% to $30.52 on Monday and has been progressing nicely higher despite weak earnings. The stock touched $30.81 at one point Monday, its highest level in more than two years.   Total option volume was 40 times greater than average in the session, with calls outnumbering puts by more than 600 to 1.   Russell has no positions in AIR.

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now

6 Ways to Better Manage Your Finances So You Have More to Invest

Top 5 Warren Buffett Companies To Buy For 2014

What would happen if you spent as much time managing your finances as you do working out your investing strategy? Chances are, you'd have more money at the end of the day. Investments require capital, and better money management can help free up that capital in ways you'd never imagined. Plus, if you limit or eliminate the nagging stress of monthly finances, you just may find yourself more able to focus on finding that next hot stock. For some tips on how to better manage your monthly finances and improve cash flow for investing, read on.

1. Start or Fine-Tune Your Budget
Tracking monthly finances and uncovering ways to save without a budget is difficult, so if you don't already have one in place, get started today. If you do use a budget but haven't reviewed it in a while, dust it off and take a closer look. Things change over time and operating from an accurate budget can help ensure that you have the most up-to-date understanding of your finances. Review amounts for all your monthly bills, and update discretionary spending categories such as entertainment and travel.

2. Trim Monthly Expenses
Review all service plans like cable TV, Internet, and smartphone data and minutes. Take a look at the competition to see if you can save by switching providers. Also, investigate bundling options. You may be able to cut costs by as much as 30% simply by getting all three services from a single company.

3. Rethink Your Personal Purchases
Ready for a fun new strategy? Wrap all the cash in your wallet in a small piece of paper with a question mark on it. Each time you reach for your money, ask yourself if you really need this item? If you answer honestly you're likely to find a lot more money left in your wallet at the end of each month.

4. Refinance Your Home Loan
Refinance rates have recently been at all-time lows, but they're starting to tick back up. 30-year rates, however, are still in the low-4% range, so if you're paying 6% or more in mortgage interest, consider pulling the trigger on a re-fi. Depending on the size of your loan, you may be able to reduce your monthly payment by as much as $300, and possibly more.

5. Pay Down Credit Card Debts
If you carry a lot of credit card debt you're wasting plenty of money that could be going toward investments. Add up your total amount of credit card debt and come up with a sensible plan to pay it down. Depending on your income, $5,000 in debt could easily be paid off in about two years as long as you save aggressively in other areas.

6. Give Yourself a Cushion
Investing your capital is essential to building personal wealth, but you also want to protect yourself against any unforseen financial needs. Take some of the money you've conserved through your budget-cutting efforts and establish an emergency fund. You never know when a change in employment, a car accident, or a medical issue are going to present themselves, and you always want to be prepared. Shoot for a reserve of nine months of living expenses. And, to make your emergency fund truly work for you, feel free to include it in your investment portfolio. Just be sure it's liquid and in a relatively low-risk fund.

Conclusion
In order to keep your money management strategy as accurate as possible, track your savings from the above steps and keep a running total of your savings. Then, incorporate that surplus into your investing strategy to maximize your returns. Be sure to always keep an eye on your monthly bills and other expenses and you can achieve a healthy, wealthy financial life.

What ways can you think of to free up more funds for investing?

The following article is from one of our external contributors. It does not represent the opinion of Benzinga and has not been edited.

Posted-In: Markets Personal Finance

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Best Undervalued Stocks To Watch Right Now

With shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) trading around $27, is PFE an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Pfizer is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells medicines for people and animals worldwide. The company manages its operations through five segments: Primary Care; Specialty Care and Oncology; Established Products and Emerging Markets; Animal Health and Consumer Healthcare, and Nutrition. Pfizer�� main products include human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, nutritional products, consumer healthcare products, and products for the prevention and treatment of diseases in livestock and companion animals.

Illness and disease is something that plagues people and animals around the world. Pfizer is in constant development, attempting to improve its products in order to help people and animals struggling around the world. Today, Onyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ONXX) is up over 50 percent after the company refused a $120 per share bid from Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), because they believe it undervalued the company significantly and they would explore other possibilities. Pfizer as well as a few others are all rumored to be interested in the company.�As long as health is a main concern for people and animals, Pfizer stands to see significant profits.

Best Undervalued Stocks To Watch Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Terri Stridsberg]

  Dollar Tree (DLTR), has had a banner 2013, gaining 45.3% year-to-date, and tagging a new record high of $59.68. Nevertheless, short interest skyrocketed by close to 398% over the most recent reporting period, and now accounts for a healthy 6.7% of the equity's available float.

• [By ANUP SINGH]

  Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) is among the most successful single-price-point retailers in the U.S. It operates more than 4,842 stores across 48 states in the U.S. and five Provinces in Canada. The chart below shows that the company has been performing consistently well over the past five years.

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The finance sector, as mentioned, can make money in many ways. The second-highest growth sector is expected to be consumer discretionary, with a 6.2% increase. When you look at earnings from luxury brands like Tiffany & Co. (TIF), and that the hotel sector continues to do very well, it suggests that those people who are in good financial shape are spending their money. Meanwhile, dollar players like Dollar Tree (DLTR) continue to perform very well, suggesting that folks with less money are spending it on cheaper items.

• [By Mani]

  Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ:DLTR) is one of the companies that are set to exploit the ongoing trend of consumers' increasing focus on value with significant opportunity to grow its store base, and expand margins.

Best Undervalued Stocks To Watch Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Other stocks that are getting hammered by the Chinese report include Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) . Both companies need strong construction markets, which China had been for years. Now that it seems the go-go days are coming to an end, each company will be faced with finding a new emerging market in which to sell its products.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  )
  Caterpillar served up a double-whammy for investors, missing earnings estimates by $0.07 per share and cutting its full-year 2013 guidance by a full $1 per share. The big problem for the company was its mining equipment business, which has struggled in light of slowing conditions in China and elsewhere around the world.

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Own Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) revenue grew 8% year-over-year to $11.18 billion in the second quarter of 2013, fueled by high growth in its international segment. While the company does generate 11% of revenue in the Middle East and Asia, only a prolonged Syrian conflict is expected to dent their strong results. UBS has a $98 price target and the consensus figure is at $96. Stockholders are paid a 1.5% dividend.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Surprisingly, our energy boom could help China, but not in the way you might think. The energy sector in the U.S. has been an incubator for innovative drilling techniques and technologies over the past few years. Now we have a near monopoly on the technology. Like the U.S., China has massive shale gas deposits, and the technology we possess could help them develop domestic sources and allow them to become more energy self-sufficient. We're starting to see it happen. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) has signed a deal with PetroChina (NYSE: PTR  ) to spend $1 billion a year to develop shale resources there. Also, fracking�specialists�Haliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) are partnering with various Chinese companies to supply the country with hydraulic fracturing equipment and specialty fluids.�

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Energy: Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB)�crushed earnings by an astonishing 50.9% last quarter. With Mexico changing its policy on oil exploration, the oil field services leader may see continued strong earnings growth in the years ahead. The consensus price target for the stock is posted at $96. Investors are paid a 1.5% dividend.

• [By Dr. Kent Moors]

  That's why some of the biggest OFS providers - like Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB), Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) and Weatherford International (NYSE: WFT) - have been buying up oil and gas equipment companies.

Best Undervalued Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $623.34 million.

  Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $1.12 per share on revenue of $779.02 million.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, household products company Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Chrysler to recall 1.2 million Ram trucks

DETROIT (AP) — Chrysler is recalling about 1.2 million Ram trucks to fix front-end problems that could lead to steering troubles.

The company announced three recalls on Friday. It wants to inspect the trucks and says only 453,000 will likely need repairs.

Chrysler said Friday in a statement that it knows of six crashes and two injuries involving the 2008 to 2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks that are being recalled, and one crash with no injuries from the other recalled models.

The trucks are being recalled because tie-rod ends in the steering system may have been installed improperly, which Chrysler says stemmed from technicians misinterpreting instructions. Those tie-rods could be out of alignment, which Chrysler says can lead to steering failures.

The company has since updated the instructions and the parts involved.

The first case covers 842,400 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks from 2003 through 2008. Chrysler says 116,000 were repaired with tie-rods in the steering system that could be out of alignment.

Top Blue Chip Companies To Own For 2014

The other two involve trucks with tie-rod assemblies that were replaced in previous recalls. They cover 294,000 Ram 2500 and 3500 trucks from the 2008 through 2012 model years, and 2008 Ram 1500 four-by-four mega cabs. Also included are 43,000 Ram 4500 and 5500 four-by-four chassis cabs from 2008 through 2012.

Customers will be notified by letter in December, and work could begin in January, the company said. Owners of Ram 4500 and 5500 models can take their trucks to dealers for interim repairs because parts may not be available until late next year, the statement said. The interim service would involve realignment of the front ends.

Chrysler said about 968,000 of the affected trucks are in the U.S., with another 157,000 in Canada, 37,100 in Mexico and 18,000 from other countries.

Owners with questions can call (800) 853-! 1403.

Monitors for $9? Wal-Mart glitch plays with prices

NEW YORK — Treadmills for $33? Computer monitors for $9? The deals are too good to be true — even at Wal-Mart.

It turns out they're not.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says a "technical error" caused certain products to be priced absurdly low or high on its website Wednesday morning.

The company said late Wednesday that it had resolved the issue and Walmart.com is now operating normally. Walmart.com had intermittent problems with availability throughout the day as the discounter was trying to fix the problem.

"We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers," said Ravi Jariwala, a spokesman for Wal-Mart's online operations.

Earlier Wednesday, shoppers took to Twitter to cite ridiculously low prices like treadmills for $33.16 and Hewlett Packard LCD monitors for $8.85. Jariwala said that the company is notifying customers who ordered these items that their orders have been canceled and they'll be refunded in full. In addition, it will send customers a $10 e-gift card that can be used toward future purchases at its stores or on its website.

Heading into the crucial holiday shopping season, Wal-Mart has doubled the number of items it has on its website from last year to 5 million.

That's expected to help fuel 30% growth in online sales to $10 billion for its current fiscal year, which ends in late January. That's still just a sliver of the $486 billion in annual sales Wal-Mart did last year.

Wal-Mart is based in Bentonville, Ark.

Michael Kors Holdings Limited (KORS) Q2 Earnings Preview: In The Bag?

Michael Kors Holdings Limited (KORS) plans to report its second quarter fiscal 2014 financial results on Tuesday, November 5, 2013, before the market opens. The Company also plans to hold a conference call to discuss its financial results the same day at 8:00 a.m. ET.

Wall Street anticipates that the specialty retailer will make a profit of $0.68 per share for the quarter. iStock expects KORS to top Wall Street's consensus number. The iEstimate is $0.74.

Michael Kors Holdings Limited engages in the design, marketing, distribution, and retailing of branded women's apparel and accessories, and men's apparel. The company operates in three segments: Retail, Wholesale, and Licensing.

Analysts appear to be getting more bullish for the quarter as the consensus estimate started the quarter at $0.64 and was $0.67 late last week. In fact, two upped their outlook last week.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy Right Now

It's no wonder EPS estimates are rising considering KORS history to smoking the street's consensus. Michael Kors has delivered seven straight bullish surprises, topping the street view by an average of 50.64% with a range of 22.5% to 111.11% better than expected.

As you might imagine, those sorts of surprises resulted in stellar stock performance for the three days bookending quarterly checkups. KORS gained an average of 12.23% six of the seven profit announcements. Once, shares dropped an almost unnoticeable -0.70%.

iStock has had a lot of success getting in front of retailers earnings by checking Google Trends. Search volume intensity for the keyword "Michael Kors" indicate another solid quarter could be in Tuesday's card.

Web queries increased 36.2% year-over-year (YoY). A year ago, the high-end retailer made a profit of $0.49 per share. If Google Trends translate, then KORS will hit Wall Street's estimate.

Last quarter, Michael Kors earned $0.6! 1 per shares, and quarter-over-quarter searches moved up by 8.22%, which works out to $0.66, uh-oh.

Continued improvement in margins could be what it takes to get EPS over the consensus bar. In Q1, management was able to get more out of every dollar by reducing costs of goods sold and total operating expenses as a percentage of revenue, which lead to increasing profit margins.

Inventory shows that demand for KORS merchandise is outstripping supply as the balance sheet line item increased at 19.7% versus 54% for revenue. The combination should give the retailer pricing power and reduce the need for sales to move outdated product out the door.

Overall: Michael Kors Holdings Limited (KORS) financial statements, the iEstimate, and Google Trends suggest another solid quarter when earnings are announced on Tuesday morning. If history holds, then shareholders could have a little more cash to put in their handbags.  

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014

It's not a perfect world out there for investors, but things may be starting to get better.

The market's coming off another week of encouraging economic news as housing and employment data point to a continuing recovery.

I recently went over some of the companies that are expected to post lower quarterly profits when they report this week. Thankfully, they're the exceptions and not the rule.

Let's go over some publicly traded companies that are expected to stand tall this week by posting year-over-year improvement on the bottom line.

Company

Latest Quarter EPS (estimated)

Year-Ago Quarter EPS

Dollar General (NYSE: DG  )

$0.71

$0.63

FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ: FCEL  )

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bill Maurer]

  First Solar (FSLR):

  First Solar makes this list both for its latest update as well as the long-term trend. Another 2.35 million shares short were covered since the last update. In the past 11 months, more than 20.6 million shares have been covered, nearly 65% of the peak value. Short interest in First Solar is at its lowest point in a year and a half, as you can see from the chart below.

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Airgas Inc.(ARG)

Airgas, Inc., through its subsidiaries, distributes industrial, medical, and specialty gases, as well as hardgoods in the United States. The company offers various gases, including nitrogen, oxygen, argon, helium, and hydrogen; welding and fuel gases, such as acetylene, propylene, and propane; and carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ultra high purity grades, special application blends, and process chemicals. Its hardgoods products comprise welding consumables and equipment, safety products, and construction supplies, as well as maintenance, repair, and operating supplies. The company also engages in the rental of gas cylinders, cryogenic liquid containers, bulk storage tanks, tube trailers, and welding and welding related equipment. In addition, the company manufactures and distributes liquid carbon dioxide, dry ice, nitrous oxide, ammonia, refrigerant gases, and atmospheric merchant gases. It serves repair and maintenance, industrial manufacturing, energy and infrastructure co nstruction, medical, petrochemical, food and beverage, retail and wholesale, analytical, utilities, and transportation industries. The company operates an integrated network of approximately 1100 locations, including branches, retail stores, packaged gas fill plants, specialty gas labs, production facilities, and distribution centers. Additionally, it provides retail solutions to retail customers, such as florists, grocers, restaurants and bars, tire and automotive service centers, and others. The company markets its products through multiple sales channels, including branch-based sales representatives, retail stores, strategic customer account programs, telesales, catalogs, e-business, and independent distributors. Airgas, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is based in Radnor, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Airgas (NYSE: ARG) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $1.22 per share on revenue of $1.28 billion.

  The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $1.55 per share on revenue of $21.68 billion.

Best Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Whitehaven Coal Ltd (WHITF.PK)

Whitehaven Coal Limited (Whitehaven) is engaged in the development and operation of coal mines in New South Wales. During the fiscal year ended 30 June 2012 (fiscal 2012), Whitehaven Coal Limited and its controlled entities continued development at the Narrabri underground mine. The Company operates in two segments: Open Cut Operations and Underground Operations. The Company�� Gunnedah operations include the Tarrawonga (70% owned by Whitehaven), Rocglen (100% owned by Whitehaven), and Sunnyside (100% owned by Whitehaven) open cut mines and the Gunnedah coal handling and preparation plant and train load out facility (CHPP��(100% owned by Whitehaven). The Werris Creek mine is 100% owned by Whitehaven. During fiscal 2012, the Company produced 4.28 million tons per annum of saleable coal. On May 1, 2012, the Company acquired Boardwalk Resources Limited. On May 2, 2012, the Company acquired Aston Resources Limited. On June 20, 2012, it acquired Coalworks Limited.

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Halliburton Company provides various products and services to the energy industry for the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas worldwide. It operates in two segments, Completion and Production, and Drilling and Evaluation. The Completion and Production segment offers production enhancement services, completion tools and services, cementing services, and Boots & Coots. Its production enhancement services include stimulation and sand control services; completion tools and services comprise subsurface safety valves and flow control equipment, surface safety systems, packers and specialty completion equipment, intelligent completion systems, expandable liner hanger systems, sand control systems, well servicing tools, and reservoir performance services; cementing services consist of bonding the well and well casing, while isolating fluid zones and maximizing wellbore stability, and casing equipment; and Boots & Coots include well intervention services , pressure control, equipment rental tools and services, and pipeline and process services. The Drilling and Evaluation segment provides field and reservoir modeling, drilling, evaluation, and wellbore placement solutions that enable customers to model, measure, and optimize their well construction activities. Its services comprise fluid services, drilling services, drill bits, wireline and perforating services, testing and subsea services, software and asset solutions, and integrated project management and consulting services. The company serves independent, integrated, and national oil companies. Halliburton Company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Several companies on the production side, such as Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN  ) and Sandridge Energy (NYSE: SD  ) , have begun addressing this problem. From a services standpoint, Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) is pioneering multiple, different applications that producers can choose from to both ease the stress on the environment and reduce overall costs.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Serving producers
  Oil and gas producers won't be the only big winners in South America. Not only is there a great need for contract drillers like Seadrill and logistics providers like Buckeye, but the industry needs oil-field services companies like Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) �to assist in getting that oil out of the ground. Halliburton has been investing to grow its business in South America and recently opened a new technology and innovation center in Brazil to help the country develop its resources. Not only that, but the company just provided completion services to the largest shale well drilled in Argentina. Overall, its Latin American revenue grew 21% year over year while offering the company a vast opportunity to capture more growth in the future. This makes Halliburton one of the best overall stocks to buy when looking to invest in worldwide oil and gas production growth.

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Briefly in the news
  And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.

  VeriFone (NYSE: PAY  ) shares tumbled 21% on Thursday, after the transactions enabler missed Wall Street's profit expectations and issued disappointing guidance. VeriFone wasn't very fun. TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO  ) can't catch a break. The DVR pioneer was on the receiving end of a $490 million settlement, but the stock still took a hit because it was less than the market was expecting. Go figure. TiVo's intellectual capital alone has been enough to be awarded $1.6 billion in damages in recent years, but the company's enterprise value is a mere $1 billion. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is not the second coming of Webvan, but it is expanding its AmazonFresh grocery delivery service to Los Angeles. It's been testing the service fir years in select neighborhoods in its home turf of Seattle. JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) moved higher on Friday after reporting a 36% surge in shipments. Solar energy was out of favor last year, but some players are starting to show signs of brightening.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) �and Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ  ) have slightly better balance sheets and they're focusing on expanding into systems, which will smooth out demand. JinkoSolar has a $1 billion financing deal with the China Development Bank to build projects, not just manufacturing capacity, which will help demand. Canadian Solar has built a huge systems business in Canada, including a $310 million, 130 MW project last month, and signed 18 MW of deals in South Carolina last week. The systems business generates stable demand and allows companies to compete more than on price alone, which helps margins.�

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Petrotech Oil & Gas Inc (PTOG)

PetroTech Oil and Gas, Inc., formerly Unity Management Group, Inc., incorporated on April 10, 1998, operates and develops Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) opportunities within qualifying oil reservoirs in the United States using its Enhanced Oil Recovery method and technique. The company is also a construction and heavy equipment company. The Company is focussing on developing and acquisitions of technology in secondary oil recovery, oil and gas reporting software, trading software and Nitrogen and CO2 injection equipment. Enhanced oil recovery is also called improved oil recovery or tertiary recovery. The Company�� services include Work over and Installation Services, Heavy Equipment Services, Nitrogen, CO2 and Gas Mixture Treatments, Exhaust Gas Unit, Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage and Reservoir Development. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company acquired On Track Technology, Inc. On June 30, 2012, the Company acquired Metropolitan Computing Corp.

Work over and Installation Services

Drilling Vertical or Horizontal Well Supervision, Traditional Work over, Oilfield Work Over Rigs and Roustabout Services to be on location while recompletion, plugging or equipping of wells for in house leases and third party jobs as well. Where applicable Petrotech will utilize flexible Poly Urethane tubing for testing of wells and permanent installs for some shallow depths. The flexible tubing has a Paraffin�� and Asphalt Ines don�� stick to flexible tubing (as it does to steel tubing); and flexible tubing has an estimated 10 times longer life dependent upon the corrosiveness of production and by products, such as the water produced with hydrocarbons.

Heavy Equipment Services

Heavy Equipment Services includes heavy equipment, oilfield roustabout, crane work, water hauling, setting pumping units, separators, tanks, digging pitts and locations roads and heavy equipment services also includes highways for in house leases, third party oil companies and loca! l and government agencies.

Nitrogen, CO2 and Gas Mixture Treatments

The Company focuses in treating with Nitrogen, CO2 or a combination of the two; through two applications where applicable-Huff and Puff and Steady flooding. In cases, HoCyclic gas injection processes has been primarily restricted to the use of pure CO2 or CO2 that has been slightly contaminated.

Exhaust Gas Unit

The CO2/N2 gas mixture focuses to generated from a patented one-of-a-kind portable exhaust unit capable of producing 2.5 millions of cubic feet equivalent at 2000 psi. The exhaust unit manufacturing facility is capable of building over 100 million of daily of deliverability or 180,000 horse power of equipment per year.

Gas Assisted Gravity Drainage

Natural segregation of its gas mixture at miscibility pressure is a component in recreating a gas cap. Doubling of the primary oil recovery from a reservoir is expected with this EOR method and gas mixture. SPE paper #89357 documents GAGD recoveries averaging 63% of the OOIP.

Reservoir Development

Petrotech Oil and Gas Inc. focuses to use the technology in third dimension geophysics available, drilling and compositional reservoir modeling to devise the reservoir�� development plan. In some reservoirs has two horizontal wellbores; one each for the injection of gas and production of oil.

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Renesola Ltd.(SOL)

ReneSola Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar wafers and solar power products. It offers virgin polysilicons, monocrystalline and multicrystalline solar wafers, and photovoltaic cells and modules. The company also provides cell and module processing services. Its products are used in a range of residential, commercial, industrial, and other solar power generation systems. The company sells its solar wafers primarily to solar cell and module manufacturers. It principally operates in Mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, India, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, France, the Czech Republic, and the United States. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Jiashan, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Photovoltaic module and wafer manufacturer ReneSola (NYSE: SOL  ) has been contracted to�provide 7,200 250-watt high-efficiency polycrystalline solar PV modules for a project in Roswell, N.M.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Thursday, ReneSola (NYSE: SOL  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the move: Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) is up 31.5% at $5.13 on the announcement that Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) will acquire the Finnish firm�� mobile phone business for $7.2 billion. Chinese solar energy stocks are getting a boost again today, with Hanwha SolarOne Co. (NASDAQ: HSOL) up more than 15.9% and ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) up 14.9%.

• [By Gary Bourgeault]

  Other companies of note that will be hurt will be LDK Solar (LDK), Suntech Power (STP), JA Solar Holdings Co., Ltd. (JASO) and Renesola (SOL) among others. Some these are already hanging on by a thread because of taking on too much debt and defaulting on bonds.

Hot Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fleetcor Technologies Inc (FLT)

FleetCor Technologies, Inc. (FleetCor) is an independent global provider of specialized payment products and services to businesses, commercial fleets, oil companies, petroleum marketers and government entities in countries throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company processed more than 215 million transactions on its networks and third-party networks. The Company operates in two segments: North American and International segments. The Company provides its payment products and services in a variety of combinations to create payment solutions for its customers and partners. In August 2011, the Company acquired Mexican prepaid fuel card and food voucher business based in Mexico City, Mexico. On December 13, 2011, the Company acquired Allstar Business Solutions Limited, a fleet card company based in the United Kingdom. In July 2012, the Company acquired a Russian fuel card company. In July 2012, the Company acquired CTF Technologies, Inc.

The Company uses third-party networks to deliver its payment programs and services. In order to deliver its payment programs and services and process transactions, it owns and operates closed-loop networks through which it electronically connects to merchants and captures, analyzes and reports information. The Company also provides a range of services, such as issuing and processing. The Company markets its payment products directly to a range of commercial fleet customers, including vehicle fleets of all sizes and government fleets. Among these customers, it provides its products and services to small and medium commercial fleets. The Company also manages commercial fleet card programs for oil companies, such as British Petroleum (BP) (including its subsidiary Arco), Chevron and Citgo, and over 800 petroleum marketers.

The Company sells a range of fleet and lodging payment programs directly and indirectly through partners, such as oil companies and petroleum marketers. It provides it! s customers with various card products that function like a charge card to purchase fuel, lodging and related products and services at participating locations. The Company supports these cards with issuing, processing and information services that enable it to manage card accounts, facilitate the routing, authorization, clearing and settlement of transactions. The Company provides these services in a variety of outsourced solutions ranging from an end-to-end solution (consisting issuing, processing and network services) to limited back office processing services.

In addition, the Company offers a telematics solution in Europe that combines global positioning, satellite tracking and other wireless technology to allow fleet operators to monitor the capacity utilization and movement of their vehicles and drivers. The Company offers prepaid fuel and food vouchers and cards in Mexico that may be used as a form of payment in restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations. Approximately 10.4% of its revenue during the year ended December 31, 2011 came from its lodging and telematics products.

During 2011, the Company owns and operates eight closed-loop networks in North America and internationally. Fuelman network is the Company�� primary fleet card network in the United States. Corporate Lodging Consultants network (CLC) is the Company�� lodging network in the United States and Canada. The CLC Lodging network covers more than 17,700 hotels across the United States and Canada. Commercial Fueling Network (CFN) is the Company�� members only unattended fueling location network in the United States and Canada. Keyfuels network is the Company�� primary fleet card network in the United Kingdom.

CCS network is the Company�� primary fleet card network in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Petrol Plus Region (PPR) network is the Company�� primary fleet card network in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. Mexican network is the Company�� fuel! and food! card and voucher network in Mexico. Allstar network is the Company�� fleet card network in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the Company issues corporate cards that utilize the MasterCard payment network, which includes 176,000 fuel sites and 398,000 maintenance locations across the country. The networks of locations owned by the Company�� oil and petroleum marketer partners in both North America and internationally are utilized to support the card programs of these partners.

UNION TANK Eckstein GmbH & Co. KG (UTA) operates a network of over 46,000 fleet card-accepting locations across 38 countries throughout Europe, including more than 31,000 fueling sites. DKV operates a network of over 45,000 fleet card-accepting locations across 36 countries throughout Europe, including more than 30,500 fueling sites. In Mexico, the Company issues fuel cards and food cards that utilize the Carnet payment network, which includes approximately 8,700 fueling sites and 78,890 food locations across the country.

The Company competes with Wright Express Corporation, Comdata Corporation, U.S. Bank Voyager Fleet Systems Inc., Edenred and Sodexo, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Moving quickly to establish synergies on its Australian purchase of Fleet Card from General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) last month, Norcross, Ga.-based FleetCor (NYSE: FLT  ) is buying another fuel card-issuing and payment-processing business right next door.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on FleetCor Technologies (NYSE: FLT  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.