5 Best Gas Utility Stocks To Own For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of the Vitamin Shoppe (NYSE: VSI  ) were looking under the weather today, falling as much as 10% after a disappointing earnings report.

So what: The health-supplement chain actually beat earnings estimates by $0.03 with a per-share profit of $0.72 as revenue grew 12.5% to $279.1 million, slightly below expectations. Comparable sales were up 4.5% in the quarter. The retail chain also added 44 stores in the period, 31 via acquisition, bringing the total count to 621. Investors, however, seemed to be disappointed with the revenue miss and same-store sales expectations of low-to-mid-single digits for the year.

Now what: This was the second quarter in a row in which Vitamin Shoppe shares tumbled on its earnings report as the market seems to be saying that the stock is overvalued. Shares had climbed as high as $65 earlier in the year, but now they seem to be fairly valued at a price almost a third down from its peak. I would have avoided Vitamin Shoppe before but with an aggressive store expansion plan, and a modest same-store sales increase expected, shares look reasonably priced today.

Top 5 Sliver Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ocean Power Technologies Inc.(OPTT)

Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. engages in the development and commercialization of proprietary systems that generate electricity by harnessing the renewable energy of ocean waves primarily in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company offers utility PowerBuoy system to supply electricity to a local or regional electric power grid; and autonomous PowerBuoy system that is designed to generate power for use independent of the power grid in remote locations. Its autonomous PowerBuoy system is also used in various applications, including homeland security, off-shore oil and gas platforms, aquaculture, and ocean-based communication and data gathering, such as tsunami warnings. The company sells its products to public utilities, independent power producers, and other governmental entities and agencies, as well as public and private entities that use electricity in and near the ocean. Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Penn ington, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Ocean Power Technologies (NASDAQ: OPTT) surged 23.89% to $2.80 in the pre-market session after the company received a $2.6 million contract from Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co.

5 Best Gas Utility Stocks To Own For 2014: Remy Cointreau SA (RCO)

Remy Cointreau SA is a France-based company engaged in the production and distribution of wines and spirits. The Company's activities are divided into two segments. Cognac, which offers a range of products under the Remy Martin brand and Liqueurs and Spirits, distributing liquors under the Cointreau, Izarra and Passoa brand names, as well as spirits under such brand names as Mount Gay (rum), St Remy (brandy), Ponche Kuna (rum) and Metaxa (brandy). The Company is a sole distributor of the Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck brands, as well as Piper Sonoma (the sparkling wine brand). The Company's subsidiaries include production companies, such as E. Remy Martin & Cie, and distribution companies, such as Remy Cointreau USA Inc. In August 2013, it completed the sale of Larsen Cognac to the Finnish group Altia. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Remy Cointreau SA (RCO) jumped 6 percent, the most since January. Chinese cognac shipments increased 20.5 percent in August, rising for the first time since January, according to UBS AG, citing from BNIC, a trade association of cognac makers.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  EasyJet Plc and International Consolidated Airlines Group SA climbed as oil prices fell after the U.S. and Russia agreed on a plan to destroy Syrian chemical weapons. Hennes & Mauritz AB (HMB) advanced to a three-year high after sales topped estimates. Remy Cointreau SA (RCO) soared the most in almost four years as Chinese cognac shipments increased.

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  European stocks dropped, following a two-day gain, as Remy Cointreau SA (RCO) and Pernod Ricard SA dragged food-and-beverage makers lower. U.S. index futures and Asian shares were little changed.

5 Best Gas Utility Stocks To Own For 2014: Manhattan Associates Inc.(MANH)

Manhattan Associates, Inc. develops, sells, deploys, services, and maintains supply chain software solutions for the planning and execution of supply chain activities. It offers Manhattan SCOPE and Manhattan SCALE, which are platform-based supply chain software solutions. The company?s Manhattan SCOPE is a portfolio of supply chain solution suites that include event and schedule tracking; alerts and notifications; inventory, order, and shipment visibility; cost monitoring and tracking; leading-edge analytics; and reporting with graphical depictions of critical supply chain performance metrics. Manhattan SCOPE also includes X-Suite solutions comprising flow management and extended enterprise management. The company?s Manhattan SCALE is a portfolio of logistics execution solutions that offer trading partner management, yard management, optimization, warehouse management, and transportation execution services. Manhattan Associates, Inc. also offers professional services, in cluding planning and implementation services; and customer support, software enhancement, and training services. In addition, it sells computer hardware, radio frequency terminal networks, radio frequency identification chip readers, bar code printers and scanners, and other peripherals. The company serves retailers, distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers, grocery stores, life sciences companies, government, and other organizations. It operates in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. Manhattan Associates, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Manhattan Associates (Nasdaq: MANH  ) reported earnings on April 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

5 Best Gas Utility Stocks To Own For 2014: Questcor Pharmaceuticals Inc.(QCOR)

Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, provides prescription drugs for the treatment of auto-immune diseases. The company?s primary product is H.P. Acthar Gel (repository corticotropin injection), an injectable drug for the treatment of acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis; infantile spasms in infants and children under two years of age; nephrotic syndrome; and Lupus. Questcor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Anaheim, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, GMT Capital's biggest closed positions included Harris�and NII Holdings. Other closed positions of interest include Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM  ) and QuestCor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR  ) . Sequenom, which makes molecular and genetic diagnostic tests, is a relatively small concern, with a market cap near $500 million. One of the company's tests checks for Down syndrome in a non-invasive manner, which should be of interest to many older women.�Future tests�might address conditions such as macular degeneration. Meanwhile, the company is expanding its reach abroad, but it's still posting widening losses along with strong revenue growth.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Co-opting the competition
  Questcor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR  ) ranks at the top of the list. Shares soared 27% on news that the company is acquiring a potential rival drug.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Taser has dropped 4% this morning after gaining 33% during the past month. That gain would have put it in the top-ten in the S&P 1500 if it were a member of� the index, behind Questcor Pharmaceuticals (QCOR), which has gained 36%, healthcare company Amedisys (AMED) and Affymetrix (AFFX), which has gained 44%, among others.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Questcor Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: QCOR  ) reported earnings on April 30. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Questcor Pharmaceuticals whiffed on revenues and whiffed on earnings per share.