Top Income Companies To Buy For 2014

Raymond James Financial Inc. reported record revenue and pretax income in its private-client group for its fiscal second quarter that ended in March.

Net revenue for the quarter reached $812.2 million, up 12% from the prior year's second quarter, and 5% from the quarter ended in December. Pretax income for the quarter was $77.1 million, an increase of 44% when compared with the same quarter in 2013 and an increase of 8% compared with the quarter that ended Dec. 31.

Raymond James' private-client group consists primarily of independent-contractor reps affiliated with Raymond James Financial Services Inc. and advisers who are employees with Raymond James & Associates.

Top 5 Quality Stocks To Invest In 2015: Idacorp Inc (IDA)

IDACORP, Inc. (IDACORP), incorporated on February 2, 1998, is a holding company. The Company's operating subsidiary is Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power). Idaho Power is an electric utility engaged in the generation, transmission, distribution, sale, and purchase of electric energy. Idaho Power is the parent of Idaho Energy Resources Co. (IERCo), a joint venturer in Bridger Coal Company (BCC), which mines and supplies coal to the Jim Bridger generating plant owned in part by Idaho Power. IDACORP's other notable subsidiaries include IDACORP Financial Services, Inc. (IFS), an investor in housing and other real estate investments and Ida-West Energy Company (Ida-West), an operator of small hydroelectric generation projects.

Idaho Power is a combination hydro-thermal utility with 17 hydroelectric projects, three natural gas-fired plants, one diesel-powered generator and part ownership in three coal-fired generating plants. Idaho Power serves approximately 506,000 customers in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 IdaCorp (NYSE: IDA  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Boise, Idaho-based energy company IdaCorp (IDA) raised its quarterly dividend 13.2% to 43 cents per share, payable Dec. 2 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 6.
  IDA Dividend Yield: 3.37%

Top Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Knightsbridge Tankers Limited(VLCCF)

Knightsbridge Tankers Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the seaborne transportation of crude oil and dry bulk cargoes worldwide. The company?s customers include oil companies, tanker companies, dry bulk companies, petroleum products traders, government agencies, and other entities. As of September 6, 2011, it owned and operated a fleet of four double-hull very large crude carriers, and four Capesize dry bulk carriers. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  The horrendous flops
  I wrote a blog post explaining why Knightsbridge Tankers (NASDAQ: VLCCF  ) made the right move in slashing its dividend and why its prospects were looking up. The shipping company was extremely undervalued at the time, so why was I wrong? I made the mistake of thinking that a company trading below book value represented good value for shareholders. In reality, many shipping companies were -- and are -- trading below shareholders' equity because their fleets are enormously valuable assets. Unfortunately, that inflates book value enormously. It may not seem so harmful at first, but perpetually low charter rates have actually forced many shippers -- including Knightsbridge -- to sell tankers at less than market value to keep the lights on. Those practices can erase large chunks of book value overnight.

Top Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc (ICE)

IntercontinentalExchange Group, Inc., incorporated on March 6, 2013, is a network of regulated exchanges and clearing houses for financial and commodity markets. The Company delivers transparent and accessible data, technology and risk management services to markets around the world through its portfolio of exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, ICE Futures, Liffe and Euronext. In February 2014, Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc completed the acquisition of Singapore Mercantile Exchange.

In November 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of NYSE Euronext. In November 2013, Financial Technologies (India) Ltd announced that Financial Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Financial Technologies (India) Ltd., sold its ownership in SMX (together with its wholly owned subsidiary SMX CC) to ICE Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., an entity owned by the Intercontinentalexchange Group Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  Richard Drew/AP WASHINGTON -- Regulators have approved the proposed $8 billion sale of the venerable New York Stock Exchange to a much younger futures exchange. The deal is a symbol of how financial markets are being increasingly reshaped by high technology. The Securities and Exchange Commission disclosed Friday that it's authorized the takeover of the two-centuries-old NYSE's parent by Atlanta-based IntercontinentalExchange, or ICE. The rival acquiring company, founded in 2000, has expanded rapidly through acquisitions during the past decade. The SEC said in a filing that it's determined that the merger of the exchanges would comply with securities laws and regulations. The merger also must be approved by regulators in Europe. The NYSE's parent is NYSE Euronext, which includes stock exchanges in Europe. The European Commission, the executive body of the 28-nation European Union, gave its approval in June. The deal is expected to close in the fall. For each share of NYSE Euronext stock they own, shareholders would be able to choose either $33.12 in cash, about a quarter-share of ICE, or a combination of $11.27 in cash and around one-sixth of a share of ICE. ICE's offer was valued at $8 billion when it was announced in December. Based on ICE's current share price, the deal would be worth about $10 billion. ICE (ICE) shares were up $1.12 at $181.47 in trading Friday. NYSE Euronext (NYX) shares rose 22 cents to $42.07. "We welcome the [SEC] decision," NYSE Euronext spokesman Rich Adamonis said. ICE representatives didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. ICE has said that little would change for the NYSE trading floor -- known as the Big Board -- at the corner of Wall and Broad streets in Manhattan's financial district. But the NYSE'S clout has been eroded by the rapid advance of technological and regulatory changes. Its importance today is mostly symbolic. While brokerage fees for stock trading have declined, futures exchanges like ICE ha

Top Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Otter Tail Corporation(OTTR)

Otter Tail Corporation engages in electric and nonelectric operations in the United States and internationally. It operates in six segments: Electric, Plastics, Manufacturing, Health Services, Food Ingredient Processing, and Other Business Operations. The Electric segment includes the production, transmission, distribution, and sale of electric energy through coal, wind, hydro, natural gas, and oil in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. As of December 31, 2009, it provided electricity to approximately 130,900 customers, including residential, industrial, commercial, and other customers. This segment also operates as a wholesale participant in the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator markets. The Plastics segment involves in producing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes. The Manufacturing segment engages in the production of wind towers; contract machining; metal parts stamping and fabrication; production of waterfront equipment; and material and handling tray s, and horticultural containers. The Health Services segment sells diagnostic medical equipment, patient monitoring equipment, and related supplies and accessories. This segment also provides equipment maintenance service and diagnostic imaging services; and involves in the rental of diagnostic medical imaging equipment to various medical institutions. The Food Ingredient Processing segment produces dehydrated potato products. The Other Business Operations segment engages in residential, commercial, and industrial electric contracting; fiber optic and electric distribution systems; water, wastewater, and HVAC systems construction; and transportation and energy services businesses. The company was formerly known as Otter Tail Holding Company and changed its name to Otter Tail Corporation in 2001. Otter Tail Corporation was founded in 1907 and is based in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Electric utility holding company Otter Tail (OTTR) raised its quarterly dividend 1.6% to 30.25 cents per share, payable on Mar. 10 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 14.
  OTTR Dividend Yield: 4.47%

• [By Dividend]

  Otter Tail (OTTR) has a market capitalization of $1.13 billion. The company employs 2,286 people, generates revenue of $859.24 million and has a net income of $38.97 million. Otter Tail�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $142.22 million. The EBITDA margin is 16.55 percent (the operating margin is 8.02 percent and the net profit margin 4.54 percent).

• [By Richard Stavros]

  In examining the top two stock sellers and top two stock buyers listed above, we illustrate how these companies are managing their efforts to return cash to shareholders (See Chart C). The chart clearly shows that those firms that were making stock buybacks had better shareholder yields than those that were making stock issuances, namely Otter Tail Corp (NYSE: OTTR) and The AES Corp (NYSE: AES).

Top Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Swift Transportation Company(SWFT)

Swift Transportation Company, through its subsidiary, Swift Transportation Co., LLC, operates as a multi-faceted transportation services company and truckload carrier in North America. The company offers its truckload services through dry van, temperature-controlled, flatbed, and specialized trailers; and rail intermodal services. It also provides freight brokerage and logistics management services to other trucking companies, as well as leases tractors and offers repair services. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated a tractor fleet of approximately 15,900 units, including 11,900 tractors driven by company drivers and 4,000 owner-operator tractors; 50,600 trailers; and 6,200 intermodal containers in the United States and Mexico. It serves various industries, such as retail, discount retail, consumer products, food and beverage, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics industries. The company, formerly known Swift Holdings Corp., and was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Swift Transportation (NYSE: SWFT  ) reported earnings on April 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Swift Transportation met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Swift Transportation (NYSE: SWFT  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Swift Transportation met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.