Top Long Term Companies For 2015

We often hear that people should invest in assets depending upon their risk taking ability. But the million dollar question is what is ones risk taking ability? Can a questionnaire alone decide how much risk one can take ? If so will it remain the same till one meets his goals?

The answer is indeed very tricky. This is so because our risk taking ability is decided by many external factors. For example when the markets perform well even risk averse investors start investing in the markets and when markets don't do well our portfolio tends to get skewed towards debt. Our risk taking ability also depends on factors like peer pressure, our past experience, our family background etc.

Risk taking ability should purely depend upon your milestones and your current financial condition. If the goals are Short term in nature then it is better to invest in fixed income bearing securities though other riskier options could look exciting. Similarly when the goals are long term in nature a certain amount of risk could be taken in order to improve our return on investments. The problem is that more often than not people lose focus of  their goals and start investing looking at the product features and immediate gains. In such conditions your  ability to take risks changes drastically. When this happens and the investments don't yield the desired result then the entire planning falls flat.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: PowerShares S&P SmallCap Information Technology Portfolio (PSCT)

PowerShares S&P SmallCap Information Technology Portfolio (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of an index called the S&P SmallCap 600 Capped Information Technology Index (the Index). The Index consists of common stocks of the United States information technology companies. These are companies that are principally engaged in the business of providing information technology-related products and services, including computer hardware and software, Internet, electronics and semiconductors, and communication technologies. The Index is compiled, maintained and calculated by Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC. The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its total assets in common stocks of small-capitalization information technology companies. The Fund will normally invest at least 90% of its total assets in common stocks that comprise the Index. The Fund�� investment adviser is Invesco PowerShares Capital Management LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephen Leeb]

  The PowerShares S&P 500 Small-Cap Technology (PSCT) is geared towards smaller, more agile, but also less-established firms, while iShares S&P North American Technology ETF (IGM) offers broad, blue-chip technology industry exposure.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY)

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated provides instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems in the United States and internationally. The company?s Instrumentation segment provides monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, scientific, industrial, and defense applications, as well as harsh environmental interconnect products. Its Digital Imaging segment includes sponsored and centralized research laboratories benefiting government programs and businesses, as well as development efforts for innovative digital imaging products for government and space applications. It also includes infrared detectors, cameras, and optomechanical assemblies. Teledyne Technologies? Aerospace and Defense Electronics segment provides electronic components and subsystems and communications products, including defense electronics, data acquisition, and communications equipment for air transport and business aircra ft and components and subsystems for wireless and satellite communications, as well as general aviation batteries. The company?s Engineered Systems segment provides systems engineering and integration, advanced technology application, software development, and manufacturing solutions to space, military, environmental, energy, chemical, biological and nuclear systems, and missile defense requirements. This segment also designs and manufactures hydrogen generators, thermoelectric and fuel-cell based power sources, and small turbine engines. Teledyne Technologies? customers include government agencies, aerospace prime contractors, energy exploration and production companies, industrial companies, and airlines. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  We should be careful to overstate the tax aspect of buybacks. For example, Q-Logic has a lot of cash overseas (almost all of its $500 million). The company could ��in theory ��make several tender offers for close to 50% of its market cap with that cash. This is the Teledyne (TDY) approach. Q-Logic doesn�� do that for several reasons. One, it likes having some cash on hand at all time. But, more importantly, it doesn�� want to pay the tax.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Teledyne Technologies (TDY), which gets 80 percent of its revenue from the U.S., raised its 2013 per-share earnings projections last week. The Thousand Oaks, California-based aerospace and defense electronics provider, up 39 percent for the year, exceeded analyst projections by 8.1 percent last quarter, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Top 5 Specialty Retail Companies To Invest In Right Now: iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

iShares Lehman 20+ Year Treasury Bond Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the long-term sector of the United States Treasury market as defined by the Lehman Brothers 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Index (the Index). The Index includes all publicly issued, the United States Treasury securities that have a remaining maturity greater than 20 years, are non-convertible, are denominated in United States dollars, are rated investment grade (Baa3 or better) by Moody�� Investors Service, are fixed rate, and have more than $150 million par outstanding. Excluded from the Index are certain special issues, such as flower bonds, targeted investor notes, state and local government series bonds, and coupon issues that have been stripped from assets that are already included in the Index.

The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index. The Fund invests in a representative sample of the securities in the Index, which has a similar investment profile as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisor.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew McCall]

  iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NYSE: TLT)

  Another ETF that had an initial reaction that was positive, did not hold the gains and within 45 minutes the bond market began to fall again. A taper would likely lead to higher interest rates, which would lead to lower bond prices and lower prices for TLT. But due to the low amount for the taper it appears the market is torn as to which direction bonds go in the near term.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  It is no secret now that interest rates have risen. Long-term Treasury yields and even intermediate Treasury yields are now perhaps even starting to normalize even with Ben Bernanke and the Federal Reserve keeping Fed Funds down at the 0.00% to 0.25% target rate. The problem that is going to startle longer-term bond investors is that the 10-year Treasury Note is getting closer and closer to 3% and the 30-year Treasury Bond is getting closer to 4%. We are seeing that the iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond (NYSEMKT: TLT) and the ProShares�UltraShort�20+ Year Treasury (NYSEMKT: TBT) are also starting to reach critical levels.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: HyperSolar Inc (HYSR)

Hypersolar, Inc., incorporated on February 18, 2009, is developing renewable hydrogen using sunlight and any source of water, including seawater and wastewater. Unlike hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, where carbon dioxide and other contaminants are released into the atmosphere when used, hydrogen fuel usage produces pure water as the only byproduct. The Company�� technology includes HyperSolar H2Generator. Its nano-size particle is designed to mimic photosynthesis and contains a solar absorber that generates electrons from sunlight, as well as integrated cathode and anode areas to readily split water and transfer those electrons to the molecular bonds of hydrogen.

The HyperSolar H2Generator consists of the following primary stages: Reactor Vessels, Hydrogen Compressor and Hydrogen Storage. The reactor vessels resemble transparent rectangular boxes containing water and billions of nanoparticles suspended in solution. When exposed to sunlight, hydrogen gas will bubble up into an air gap on top for separation and collection. Produced hydrogen gas will be compressed for space efficient storage. Hydrogen can be stored in compressed gas tanks or chemical canisters depending on the application. The HyperSolar H2Generator will be a self-contained renewable hydrogen production system that requires only sunlight and any source of water.

The Company competes with Air Products and Chemicals Inc. and Air Liquide.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap hydrogen fuel stocks Hydrogenics Corporation (NASDAQ: HYGS), FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL), HyperSolar Inc (OTCMKTS: HYSR) and HydroPhi Technologies Group, Inc (OTCMKTS: HPTG) are some of the lesser known small caps that are�working with hydrogen fuel or hydrogen fuel cell related technology. I should say that small cap hydrogen stocks are not for risk adverse investors as there are considerable unanswered questions about hydrogen fuel related technology and whether it can be a viable green technology given the fueling infrastructure needed along with the�energy and expense involved in creating hydrogen�(Note: None of these small cap�stocks are profitable at ). But any new technology will pose the same types of risks for early stage investors���especially if its so-called green technology.�

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: MVC Capital (MVC)

MVC Capital, Inc. (MVC) is a Business Development Company specializing in acquisition financing, management buyouts, leveraged buildups, corporate partnerships, PIPE transactions, going private transactions, private company recapitalizations, operational turnarounds, and growth and expansion capital transaction financing. It seeks to invest in mature, small, and middle-market companies. The firm seeks to invest in companies in the consumer products, industrial manufacturing and services, food and food service, financial services, value-added distribution, specialty chemicals, and security sectors. It prefers to invest in companies based in the United States. The firm typically invests between $3 million and $25 million for control and non-control stakes in companies with revenues between $10 million and $200 million and EBITDA between $3 million and $25 million. It prefers to be the lead investor in transactions and also co-invests in companies with other private equity sp onsors. The firm invests in the form of preferred and common equity, and warrants or rights to acquire equity interests; bridge loans; term loans; debt; cash flow loans; senior and subordinated loans; convertible securities; venture capital; mezzanine; and private equity investments. MVC Capital, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in Purchase, New York with an additional office at Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Sorting by market cap, the largest, MVC Capital Inc. (MVC), has exhibited relatively little stock price movement in the past three years. Its current price of $12.10 a share is only 2.7% off of its three-year high of $12.44. Three insiders bought this stock, according to the screener, in the past month.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: Media General Inc. (MEG)

Media General, Inc. operates as a television broadcasting and digital media company in the United States. The company provides news, information, and entertainment for consumers and advertisers. It owns and operates 31 network-affiliated broadcast television stations and their associated digital media and mobile platforms in 28 markets that reach 16.5 million households. The company was founded in 1850 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Shares of LIN Media LLC (NYSE: LIN) got a boost, shooting up 21.92 percent to $26.20 after Media General (NYSE: MEG) announced its plans to buy Lin Media LLC for $1.6 billion.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One newspaper player that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Media General (MEG), which is a provider of news, information and entertainment across 18 network-affiliated television stations, digital media and mobile platforms, serving consumers and advertisers in strong local markets, primarily in the Southeastern U.S. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up a whopping 253%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Media General, you'll notice that this stock is spiking higher right above its 50-day moving average of $13.57 a share. That 50-day for MEG has held as support for the last five months. This spike is quickly pushing shares of MEG within range of entering breakout and new 52-week-high territory.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MEG if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $15.39 to its 52-week high at $15.67 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 188,023 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then MEG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $20 to $23 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MEG off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $13.57 a share. One can also buy MEG off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: Esterline Technologies Corp (ESL)

Esterline Technologies Corporation (Esterline) is a manufacturing company serving aerospace and defense customers. The Company designs, manufactures and markets engineered products and systems. It operates in three segments: Avionics & Controls, Sensors & Systems, and Advanced Materials, including thermally engineered components and specialized elastomers and other complex materials, for aerospace and defense markets. Its products are mission-critical equipment, which have been designed into particular military and commercial platforms. It has divested non-core businesses operating as Pressure Systems, Inc., Muirhead Aerospace and Traxsys Input Products Limited. In July 2011, the Company acquired Souriau Group. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed acquisition of Joslyn Sunbank Company, LLC, a unit of Meggitt PLC.

Avionics & Controls

The Company�� Avionics & Controls business segment includes avionics systems, control systems, interface technologies and communication systems capabilities. Avionics systems designs and develops cockpit systems integration and avionics subsystems for commercial and military applications. Control systems designs and manufactures technology interface systems for military and commercial aircraft and land- and sea-based military vehicles. Interface technologies manufactures and develops custom control panels and input systems for medical, industrial, military and casino gaming industries. Communication systems designs and manufactures military audio and data products for severe battlefield environments. In addition, communication systems designs and manufactures secure voice and data switching systems for military airborne, ground-based, and shipboard applications. It is engaged in positioning systems (GPS), head-up displays, enhanced vision systems, and electronic flight management systems that are used in a range of control and display applications. In addition, it develops, manufactures and markets technology interface ! systems for commercial and military aircraft. These products include lighted push-button and rotary switches, keyboards, lighted indicators, panels and displays. Its products have been integrated into aircraft designs, including Boeing commercial aircraft platform in production. It manufactures control sticks, grips and wheels, as well as specialized switching systems. In this area, it serves commercial and military aviation, and airborne and ground-based military equipment manufacturing customers.

The Company�� products are incorporated in a range of platforms ranging from military helicopters, fighters and transports, to commercial wide- and narrow-body, regional and business jets. During fiscal year ended October 29, 2010 (fiscal 2010), its customers for these products included BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Canadian Commercial Corp., Hawker Beechcraft, Honeywell, Hamilton Sunstrand, Lockheed Martin, Rockwell Collins, and Sikorsky. It is also a supplier in custom input integration with a range of keyboard, switch and input technologies for specialized medical equipment, communications systems and comparable equipment for military applications. These products include custom keyboards, keypads, and input devices that integrate cursor control devices, bar-code scanners, displays, video, and voice activation. It also produces instruments that are used for point-of-use and point-of-care in vivo diagnostics. It has developed a range of technologies, including plastic and vinyl membranes that protect high-use switches and fully depressible buttons, and backlit elastomer switch coverings that are resistant to exposure from harsh chemicals. During fiscal 2010, its customers for these products included Alere, Dictaphone, DRS Tactical Systems, General Electric, IDEXX Laboratories, Jabil Circuit, Philips, Roche, Siemens, and WMS.

The Company designs and manufactures military personal communication equipment, primarily headsets. It is a sole supplier of active noise reduction (ANR)! headsets! to the British Army�� tracked and wheeled vehicle fleets under the Bowman communication system program. In the United States, it supplies ANR headsets to the U.S. Army�� tracked and wheeled vehicle fleets under the vehicle intercom system (VIS) and VIS-X programs comprising over 200,000 vehicles, and it is supplier to the United States Marine Corps for their M-ATV fleet. It is ANR headset supplier to the Canadian Army. During fiscal 2010, its customers for these products included Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Simex Defense, Sanmina-SCI, and the British Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The Company competes with Astronautics, BAE, Bose, ELBIT, EMS, Eaton, GE Aerospace, Honeywell, IAI, L-3, Otto Controls, RAFI, Rockwell Collins, SELEX, Telephonics, Thales, Ultra Electronics, Universal Avionics Systems Corporation and Zodiac.

Sensors & Systems

The Company�� Sensors & Systems business segment includes power systems and advanced sensors capabilities. It develops and manufactures temperature, pressure and speed sensors, electrical power switching, control and data communication devices, and other related systems for aerospace and defense customers. It is a supplier of temperature probes for use on all versions of the General Electric/Snecma CFM-56 jet engine. The customers for its products in this business segment are jet engine manufacturers and airframe manufacturers. During fiscal 2010, some of its customers for these products included The Boeing Company, Bombardier, Dassault, Eurocopter, Flame, General Electric, Honeywell, Rolls Royce, and SAFRAN.

The Company competes with Ametek, Eaton, Goodrich, Hamilton Sundstrand, MPC Products, Meggitt, STPI-Deutsch, Tyco and Zodiac.

Advanced Materials

The Company�� Advanced Materials business segment includes engineered materials and defense technologies capabilities. It develops and manufactures elastomer products used in a range of commercial aerospace, space, and military appl! ications,! and engineered thermal components for commercial aerospace and industrial applications. It also develops and manufactures combustible ordnance and countermeasures for military applications. It specializes in the development of formulations for silicone rubber and other elastomer products. Its elastomer products are engineered to address specific customer requirements where high temperature, high pressure, caustic, abrasive and other difficult eis critical. These products include clamping devices, thermal fire barrier insulation products, sealing systems, tubing and coverings designed in custom-molded shapes. It is a the United States supplier of performance elastomer products to the aerospace industry, with its customers for these products being jet and rocket engine manufacturers, commercial and military airframe manufacturers, as well as commercial airlines. During fiscal 2010, its customers included Alliant Techsystems, The Boeing Company, Honeywell, KAPCO, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Pattonair. It also develops and manufactures lightweight metallic insulation systems for aerospace and marine applications. Its commercial aerospace programs include the 737, A320, and A380 series aircraft and the V2500 and BR710 engines. Its insulation material is used on diesel engine manifolds for earthmoving and agricultural applications. In addition, it specializes in the development of thermal protection for fire, nuclear, and petro-chemical industries. It designs and manufactures temperature components for industrial and marine markets. Its manufacturing processes consist of cutting, pressing, and welding stainless steel, Inconel and titanium fabrications. During fiscal 2010, its customers of these products included Airbus, The Boeing Company, Goodrich, GKN Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Pattonair, Rolls Royce, Short Brothers, Spirit AeroSystems, and Volvo.

The Company develops and manufactures combustible ordnance and warfare countermeasure devices for military customers. It manufactures ! molded fi! ber cartridge cases, mortar increments, igniter tubes and other combustible ordnance components for the United States Department of Defense. It also monitors safety metrics to ensure compliance. It is a supplier of combustible casings utilized by the United States Armed Forces. These products include the combustible case for the United States Army�� new generation 155 millimeters Modular Artillery Charge System, the 120 millimeters combustible case used with the main armament system on the United States Army and Marine Corps��M1-A1/2 tanks, and the 60 millimeters, 81 millimeters and 120 millimeters combustible mortar increments. It is a supplier of United States Army of infrared decoy flares used by aircraft to help protect against radar and infrared guided missiles. In addition it is a supplier of infrared decoy flares to the MoD and other international defense agencies.

The Company competes with Chemring, Doncasters, Hitemp, J&M, JPR Hutchinson, Kmass, Dunlop Standard Aerospace Group, Rheinmetall, Trelleborg, ULVA and UMPCO.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Since the initial drop, shares of United Tech have bounced back a bit. They’re down 0.8% at $106.93 at 12:03 p.m. That drop puts it out of step with other industrial stocks, which have been stronger today. General Electric (GE), for instance, has gained 1.1% to $24.16, Honeywell International (HON) has ticked up 0.2% to $83.19, Esterline (ESL) has risen 0.7% to $80.45 and Northrop Grumman (NOC) is up 0.6% at $95.87.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: Silver Spruce Resources Inc (SSE)

Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a junior exploration company. The Company�� operations consist of the exploration for precious and base minerals with a focus on uranium, mainly in the Central Mineral Belt of Labrador, which include Popes Hill, the Popes Hill JV with Great Western Minerals Group, and the MRT, RWM and Straits properties. The Company�� projects include Double Mer Property, Mount Benedict Property, Big Easy Property, MRT Property, Pope�� Hill area, Red Wine Mountains and Straits Property. The Snegamook Lake property is located just to the southeast of Snegamook Lake in central Labrador, in the western part of the Central Mineral Belt (CMB), consists of 86 claims. The Fishhawk lake is located to the southeast of Snegamook Lake in central Labrador, in the western part of the CMB, consists of 164 claims. On August 22, 2012, the Company purchased a uranium exploration property in the CMB of Labrador from Virginia Energy Resources Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  SSE Plc (SSE) slid 5.8 percent to 1,489 pence as Citigroup said in a note that the supplier of gas and electricity would suffer the most from price caps or other forms of government intervention because it gets 97 percent of revenue from the U.K.

Top Long Term Companies For 2015: El Paso Electric Company (EE)

El Paso Electric Company, a public utility company, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity primarily in west Texas and southern New Mexico. It principally operates nuclear, natural gas, and coal power plants, as well as wind turbines. As of December 31, 2010, the company owned 6 electrical generating facilities with a net generating capacity of approximately 1,643 megawatts. It serves approximately 370,000 residential, commercial, industrial, public authority, and wholesale customers. The company sells its products to electric utilities and power marketers, as well as to oil and copper refining, and steel production facilities, universities, and the United States military installations. El Paso Electric Company was founded in 1901 and is based in El Paso, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  If we were to pinpoint a company that�embodies�this�success�as of late, it's First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) . It just sold a 139 megawatt facility to�utility�giant -- and large coal consumer -- Southern (NYSE: SO  ) , and recently signed a power purchase deal with El Paso Electric (NYSE: EE  ) that will supply El Paso with electricity for half what it pays for power from coal. These deals also come with the announcement that the company upped guidance earlier in April which sent share prices up by 46% in one day.�

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  It may have been a long time coming, but the technology for renewable fuels is very close to the point that they can can compete on the open market against traditional energy sources. First Solar just recently announced a deal with El Paso Electric (NYSE: EE  ) that it will sell electricity to El Paso from its Macho Springs solar facility for 5.79 cents per kilowatt hour, less than half what El Paso pays for electricity from coal. Also, the Federal Energy Regulation Commission has stated that 83% of all additional energy generation in the U.S. for Q1 2013 came from either wind or solar facilities. Perhaps the route to developing better solutions wasn't the smoothest, but it's hard to deny the overall outcome.�