Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now

More than half of financial advisers are ready to invest overseas, turning the tide on the year's trend of passing over international markets to funnel funds into safer domestic stocks.

Sixty percent of more than 300 registered investment advisers surveyed by Aberdeen Asset Management plan to increase their allocation to international equities over the next year.

A report by Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Research also shows that Europe, in particular, slowly is becoming a more popular investment, with 36% of the global asset allocators surveyed overweight in the region.

Top Information Technology Companies To Invest In Right Now: Ingredion Inc (INGR)

Ingredion Incorporated (Ingredion), formerly Corn Products International, Inc., incorporated on March 27, 1997, is a global manufacturer and supplier of starch and sweetener ingredients to a range of industries, including packaged food, beverage, brewing and industrial customers. The Company's product line includes starches and sweeteners, animal feed products and edible corn oil.

The Company's starch-based products include both food-grade and industrial starches. The Company's sweetener products include glucose syrups, high maltose syrups, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), caramel color, dextrose, polyols, maltodextrins and glucose and syrup solids. The Company's products are derived primarily from the processing of corn and other starch-based materials, such as tapioca, potato and rice.

Sweetener Products

The Company's sweetener products represented approximately 44% of the Company's net sales for the year ended December 31, 2012. Glucose syrups are fundamental ingredients used in food products, such as baked goods, snack foods, beverages, canned fruits, condiments, candy and other sweets, dairy products, ice cream, jams and jellies, prepared mixes and table syrups. Glucose syrups offer functionality in addition to sweetness to processed foods. High Maltose Syrup is special type of glucose syrup, which is primarily used as a fermentable sugar in brewing beers. High maltose syrups are also used in the production of confections, canning and some other food processing applications. The Company's high maltose syrups actually speeds the fermentation process, allowing brewers to increase capacity without adding capital.

High fructose corn syrup is used in a variety of consumer products, including soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages, baked goods, dairy products, confections and other food and beverage products. In addition to sweetness and ease of use, high fructose corn syrup provides body,humectancy and aids in browning, freezing point and crystalliza! tion control.

Dextrose has a range of applications in the food and confection industries, in solutions for intravenous and other pharmaceutical applications, and numerous industrial applications like wallboard, biodegradable surface agents and moisture control agents. Dextrose functionality in foods, beverages and confectionary includes sweetness control; body and viscosity; acts as a bulking, drying and anti-caking agent; serves as a carrier; provides freezing point and crystallization control; and aids in fermentation. Dextrose is also a fermentation agent in the production of light beer. In pharmaceutical applications dextrose is used in IV solutions as well as an excipient suitable for direct compression in tableting.

Polyols products are sugar-free, reduced calorie sweeteners primarily derived from starch or sugar for the food, beverage, confectionery, industrial, personal and oral care, and nutritional supplement markets. In addition to sweetness, polyols inhibit crystallization; provide binding, humectancy and plasticity; add texture; extend shelf life; prevent moisture migration, and are an excipient suitable for tableting.

Maltodextrins and Glucose Syrup Solids products have a multitude of food applications, including formulations where liquid syrups cannot be used. Maltodextrins are resistant to browning, provide solubility, have a low hydroscopicity (do not retain moisture), and are ideal for their carrier/bulking properties. Glucose syrup solids have a bland flavor, remain clear in solution are easy to handle and provide bulking properties.

Starch Products

The Company's starch products represented approximately 37 % of the Company's net sales for 2012. Starches are an important component in a range of processed foods, where they are used for adhesions, clouding, dusting, expansion, fat replacement, freshness, gelling, glazing, mouth feel, stabilization and texture. Starches are also used in paper production to create a smooth s! urface fo! r printed communications and to improve strength in recycled papers. Specialty starches are used for enhanced drainage, fiber retention, oil and grease resistance, improved printability and biochemical oxygen demand control. Industrial starches are used in the production of construction materials, textiles, adhesives, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, as well as in mining, water filtration and oil and gas drilling. Specialty starches are used for biomaterial applications including biodegradable plastics, fabric softeners and detergents, hair and skin care applications, dusting powders for surgical gloves and in the production of glass fiber and insulation.

Co-Products and others

Co-products and others accounted for 19% of the Company's net sales for 2012. Refined corn oil (from germ) is sold to packers of cooking oil and to producers of margarine, salad dressings, shortening, mayonnaise and other foods. Corn gluten feed is sold as animal feed. Corn gluten meal is sold as high protein feed for chickens, pet food and aquaculture.

The Company competes with ADM Corn Processing Division (ADM), Cargill, Inc. and Tate & Lyle Ingredients Americas, Inc.

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 Ingredion (NYSE: INGR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  What: Shares of Ingredion (NYSE: INGR  ) were down as much as 10% today after the ingredient seller cut its full-year and current-quarter EPS forecast.

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Memberships and Peers: ADM is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Bunge Limited (BG) with a 1.6% yield, Ingredion Incorporated (INGR) with a 2.4% yield and Griffin Land & Nurseries Inc. (GRIF) with a 0.7% yield.

Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now: Emerge Energy Services LP (EMES)

Emerge Energy Services LP, incorporated on April 27, 2012, owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of energy service assets. The Company operates in two segments: Sand segment, and Fuel Processing and Distribution segment. Sand segment consists of mining and processing frac sand, a component used in hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells. The Company�� frac sand facilities are located in New Auburn, Wisconsin, Barron County, Wisconsin and Kosse, Texas. Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of acquiring, processing and separating the transmix that results when multiple types of refined petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and Birmingham, Alabama.

Sand Segment

The Company�� Wisconsin sand reserves at its New Auburn and Barron facilities provide the Company access to a range of sand that meets or exceeds all API specifications and includes a concentration of 16/30, 20/40 and 30/50 mesh sands. The Company�� New Auburn dry plant facility has a rated production capacity of 4,200 tons per day, or roughly 40 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company also has 4.5 miles of existing rail track that connects its facility to the Union Pacific rail line and provides the Company with shipping access to all of the shale basins in the United States and Canada with direct access to areas of oil production in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and the western United States. The Company�� Barron facility consists of a sand mine and a wet plant on land. This facility has a rated production capacity of 8,800 tons per day, or roughly 80 rail cars, and has on-site rail car loading facilities capable of loading up to approximately 10,000 tons of frac sand into rail cars per day. The Company ! also mine frac sand at its facility in Kosse, Texas that is processed into a high-quality, 100 mesh frac sand, generally used in dry gas drilling applications.

Fuel Processing and Distribution Segment

The transmix industry consists of businesses that process and separate transportation mixture, which is the liquid interface, or fuel mixture, that forms when multiple types of petroleum products are transported sequentially through a pipeline. Pipeline operators send large batches of different fuel products (such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel) through the same pipeline, in sequence, to receiving terminals. The Company�� Fuel Processing and Distribution segment consists of its facilities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area and in Birmingham, Alabama, which are operated by Direct Fuels and AEC, respectively.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  As we reach the end of the first quarter, Tesla Motors (TSLA) is leading the pack with a massive 48% gain, followed by Emerge Energy Services LP (EMES) at 27%. Not too shabby given that the S&P 500 is barely positive on the year.
  
  My pick for 2014 — South African mobile phone giant MTN Group (MTNOY) is off to a slower start, down about 2%. But with nine months left in 2014, I expect MTNOY stock to make a serious run for the top spot. And in fact, in the month of March, it has been the second-best-performing stock in the contest after EMES.

• [By Adam Galas]

  Emerge Energy Services� (NYSE: EMES  ) is a new variable distribution MLP that operates in two segments: fuels and fracking sand. It has no general partner, incentive distribution rights, or minimum quarterly distribution. Instead it pays out 100% of distributable cash flow to its unit holders. Long-term contracts are designed to minimize cash flow variability and prevent the kind of high distribution variability seen in typical variable MLPs (such as refiners or fertilizer partnerships).�

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The top performing MLP of the first half was�Emerge Energy Services (NYSE: EMES), a supplier of sand used in hydraulic fracking (+146 percent). The second leading gainer with a gain of 110 percent was�Phillips 66 Partners�(NYSE: PSXP), which IPO�� a year ago and consists of midstream assets dropped down from its sponsor,�Phillips 66�(NYSE: PSX).

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  May�
  We had two MLP IPOs in May. First up was Emerge Energy Services (NYSE: EMES  ) , which hit the books on May 9, and is up 16% already. The partnership has a sand segment and a fuel processing and distribution segment, which engages primarily in the separation of transmix.

Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now: Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALXN)

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of biologic therapeutic products for treating patients with severe and life-threatening disease states in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Japan, and the Asia Pacific. It focuses on developing products for the treatment of diseases in the areas of hematology, nephrology, neurology, ophthalmology, and cancer. The company develops and commercializes Soliris (eculizumab), a therapeutic product for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), a blood disorder. It also conducts various Phase II clinical trail programs on Soliris for its usage for the treatment of cold agglutinin disease; atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome; presensitized renal transplant; kidney transplant for catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome; ABO incompatible renal transplant; dense deposit disease; myasthenia gravis; neuromyelitis optica; and dry a ge-related macular degeneration. In addition, the company conducts Phase IV clinical trails on Soliris for its usage for the treatment of PNH registry; and Phase I clinical trails on Samalizumab for the treatment of oncology diseases, such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and multiple myeloma. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. serves specialty distributors and specialty pharmacies, which supply physician office clinics, hospital outpatient clinics, infusion clinics, or home health care providers; government agencies; and hospitals, hospital buying groups, pharmacies, other healthcare providers, and distributors. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Cheshire, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hilary Kramer]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) has been a recent recommendation of mine, and though the company only has a single drug on the market at present, it occupies a strong and defensible niche.� That drug, Soliris, is used to treat PNH, a blood disorder, and aHUS, a genetic disease.� Rare though they may be (affecting only a few dozens of thousands of people globally), these syndromes are life threatening, and Soliris is the only drug (with orphan status, which means it targets small patient populations) on the market.� That means the company has been able to log annual sales of more than $1.5 billion.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) has inoculated itself against today’s biotech selloff thanks to its stellar financial results.

  The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) has fallen 1.3% to $128.69 at 2:10 p.m., as Biogen Idec (BIIB) has dropped 4.2% to $293.91 and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) has declined 3.7% to $291.81. Even Gilead Sciences (GILD), which managed to buck yesterday’s weakness, has dipped 0.4% to $73.59.

  Not Alexion Pharmaceuticals. It’s gained 3.1% to $167.97 after reporting a profit of $1.56 a share, topping analyst forecasts for $1.26 and raising its full-year guidance. “Gotta love this company,” Piper Jaffray’s Joshua Schimmer and team titled a report this morning. They explain why:

  [Alexion Pharmaceuticals] beat on 1Q14 this morning, lowered [operating expense] guidance, reiterated revenue guidance and raised EPS guidance. The company continues to deliver to shareholders and remains poised to easily deliver a sustainable 20%+ EPS CAGR through the end of the decade and beyond with plenty of room for upside in our model based on both Soliris performance and operating/tax margins. Recent weakness in shares creates a nice entry point for a company committed to quality. While this may not be the best tape for higher multiple growth stocks, [Alexion's] advancing pipeline, rapidly growing earnings, frequent beat/raises and high quality team suggests to us that organic EPS growth will power through any incremental multiple compression.

  Alexion is up 18% so far this year, more than three times Biogen’s 5.4% rise and Regeneron’s 6.1% advance. Gilead Sciences has dropped 2% in 2014 and the SPDR Biotech ETF has dipped 0.8%.

• [By Keith Speights]

  2. Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN  )
  Despite all of the buzz, I won't say that a sale of Alexion is a done deal just yet. Roche is reportedly looking to finance a buyout of Alexion, but the possibility exists that the high price tag could scuttle those plans. On the other hand, we would be remiss without including Alexion in our list of potential biotech buyouts.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN  ) posted a much better week for investors, as the orphan disease-treating company's shares jumped 18.5% over the past five days. In the biotech world, buyout rumors are hype-worthy events -- and Alexion's right in the center of one, as Big Pharma's Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) is reportedly looking into adding the company to its ranks, according to sources listed by Reuters.

Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now: Bayer AG (BAYRY)

Bayer AG is a management holding company. The Company�� business operations are organized into three subgroups: HealthCare, CropScience and MaterialScience, supported by the service companies Bayer Business Services, Bayer Technology Services and Currenta. Bayer HealthCare is involved in the research, development and manufacture of health products for people and animals. Bayer CropScience is engaged in the crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. Bayer MaterialScience supplies polymers, and develops solution for a range of applications. In November 2009, Bayer MaterialScience acquired the polymer coatings business from Lombard Medical Technologies PLC. On November 2, 2009, it acquired Athenix Corporation. On October 1, 2009, it acquired two dermatology product lines from SkinMedica, Inc., Carlsbad, California, United States. On June 25, 2009, it acquired the remaining 10% interest in Bayer Polymers (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., China. In May 2009, it acquired the remaining 49% interest in Berlimed, s.a., Spain, from Juste s.a. Quimica Farmac茅utica (Juste), and in return sold its 51% interest of Justesa Imagen, s.a., Spain, to Juste. In May 2009, it also sold the Thermoplastics Testing Center, Krefeld, Germany, to Underwriters Laboratories Inc. In March 2010, the Company announced that its Bayer MaterialScience LLC has acquired Artificial Muscle, Inc, a company active in electroactive polymers for the consumer electronics industry.

Bayer HealthCare

The Company researches, develops, manufactures pharmaceutical and medical products. Bayer HealthCare operates in four operating divisions: Animal Health, which is engaged in manufacture of veterinary medicines and grooming products; Bayer Schering Pharma, which is engaged in manufacture of prescription medicines; Consumer Care, which is engaged in the manufacture of over-the-counter medicines and dietary supplements, and Medical Care, which is engaged in manufacture of blood glucose monitoring devices and contrast agent injecti! on systems. Its products for farm animals include Baytril. Its products for companion animals include Advantage/Advantix and Baytril. Its drug discovery in the pharmaceuticals segment focuses on the areas of cardiology, oncology,

women�� healthcare and diagnostic imaging.

Bayer CropScience

CropScience maintains a global network of research and development facilities. In the Crop Protection segment it identifies and develops safe and economically sustainable insecticides, fungicides and herbicides and carries its research projects in areas, such as plant health or stress tolerance. As of December 31, 2009, its active ingredient pipeline of Crop Protection contained 20 development projects, of which 10 was at an advanced stage and 10 at an early stage of development, and an additional 45 projects was undergoing early-stage research. Its operations are structured into six business operations units: four regional Crop Protection units plus the Environmental Science and BioScience units. Its insecticides include Confidor/ Admire, Calypso, Decis, Temik and Oberon. Its fungicides include Antracol, Fandango, Flint/Stratego/Sphere/Twist, Folicur and Previcur Energy. Its herbicides include Atlantis, Basta, Betanal, Fenikan, Hoestar, Husar, MaisTer, Puma. Its seed treatment products include Bariton, Gaucho, Lamarador, Poncho and Raxil.

Bayer MaterialScience

The Company supplies materials, such as polycarbonates and polyurethanes and system solutions for a range of everyday uses. It operates in three business units: Polyurethanes, Polycarbonates, and Coatings, Adhesives and Specialties. Its Coatings, Adhesives, Specialties producst include Desmodur, Bayhydur, Dispercoll and Artwalk. Its Polycarbonates include Makrolon, Makrofol / Bayfol, Fantasia and Bayblend. Its Polyurethanes include Multitec, Baydur, Bayflex, Baypreg and Vulkollan. Its Thermoplastic Polyurethanes include Desmopan / Texin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  They believe potential buyers could include Johnson & Johnson�(JNJ), Sanofi (SNY), Astellas (ALPMY) and Bayer (BAYRY).�

  Roth Capital Partners�Joseph Pantginis�is even less enthusiastic about the possibility of a sale. He writes:

Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now: GSI Group Inc.(GSIG)

GSI Group Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells laser-based solutions, laser scanning devices, and precision motion and optical control technologies worldwide. The company?s Laser Products segment provides lasers and laser-based systems for photonics-based applications, such as cutting, welding, marking, engraving, micro-machining, and scientific research. Its Precision Motion and Technologies segment designs, manufactures, and markets air bearing spindles, encoders, thermal printers, laser scanning devices, and light and color measurement systems to original equipment manufacturers. The company?s Semiconductor Systems segment offers laser based production systems for semiconductor, microelectronics, and electronics manufacturing. This segment?s products comprise WaferRepair for dynamic random access memory, flash memory chips, and LCDs; WaferMark for silicon suppliers and integrated circuit factories; and WaferTrim and Circuit Trim for analog and mixed signal sensor and chip resistor devices, as well as for resistor devices. The company sells its products primarily through direct sales force, resellers, distributors, and system integrators. It serves industrial, electronics, automotive, medical, packaging, aerospace, scientific, semiconductor, lighting, military, and motion picture markets. The company was formerly known as GSI Lumonics Inc. and changed its name to GSI Group Inc. in 2005. GSI Group Inc. was founded in 1970 and is based in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Electro Scientific Industries (NASDAQ: ESIO  ) has a new division under its corporate wing. The company has inked a definitive agreement to purchase the semiconductor systems unit of GSI Group (NASDAQ: GSIG  ) . The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Hot International Stocks To Buy Right Now: B&G Foods Inc (BGS)

B&G Foods, Inc. (B&G Foods), incorporated on November 25, 1996, manufactures, sells and distributes a range of branded shelf-stable food and household products across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The Company complements its branded product retail sales with institutional and food service sales and limited private labels sales. On October 31, 2012,the Company acquired New York Style, Devonsheer, JJ Flats and Old London brands from Chipita America, Inc. The Company's Ortega brand and its products span the shelf-stable Mexican food segment including taco shells, tortillas, seasonings, dinner kits, taco sauces, peppers, refried beans, salsas and related food products. The Company new product offerings include Ortega whole grain corn taco shells and Ortega reduced sodium taco seasoning. Its Maple Grove Farms of Vermont brand is apure maple syrup sold in the United States. Other products under the Maple Grove Farms of Vermont label include a line of gourmet salad dressings, sugar free syrups, marinades, fruit syrups, confections, pancake mixes and organic products. The Cream of Wheat brand is a brand of hot cereals sold in the United States. Cream of Wheat is available in Original 10-minute, 21/2 minute and one-minute versions, and also in instant packets of Original and other flavors. The Company also offers Cream of Rice, a rice-based hot cereal. In July 2013, B&G Foods Inc announced that it has completed the acquisition of Robert's American Gourmet Food, LLC dba Pirate Brands from VMG Partners. In October 2013, B&G Foods Inc acquired Rickland Orchards LLC.

The Mrs. Dash brand of salt-free seasonings is available in more than a dozen blends. The Polaner brand consists of a range of fruit-based spreads as well as jarred wet spices such as chopped garlic and oregano. Polaner All Fruit is a national brand of fruit-juice sweetened fruit spread. The spreads are available in more than a dozen flavors. Polaner Sugar Free preserves are the brand of sugar free preserves nationally. The L! as Palmas brand primarily includes authentic Mexican enchilada sauce, chili sauce and various pepper products. The Bloch & Guggenheimer (B&G) brand and its pickle, pepper and relish products consists of shelf-stable pickles, peppers, relishes, olives and other related specialty items. The B&M brand is the original brand of brick-oven baked beans and remains authentic baked beans. The B&M line includes a range of baked beans and brown bread. The Underwood brand's (Underwood Devil) logo is used for a prepackaged food product in the United States. Underwood meat spreads, include deviled ham, white-meat chicken, roast beef and liverwurst.The New York Style brand includes Original Bagel Crisps, Mini Bagel Crisps, Pita Chips and Panetini Italian Toast.

The Ac'cent brand is a all-natural flavor enhancer for meat preparation and is generally used on beef, poultry, fish and vegetables. The Company offers a line of pasta sauces, seasonings, cooking stocks, mustards, salsas, pepper sauces, dip mixes and cooking sprays under the Emeril's brand name. The Old London brand offers a variety of flavors available in melba toasts, melba rounds and other snacks. Old London also markets specialty snacks under the Devonsheer and JJ Flats names. The Trappey's brand include peppers and hot sauces, including Trappey's Red Devil. The Don Pepino and Sclafani brands primarily include pizza and spaghetti sauces, whole and crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. The Grandma's brand of molasses include molasses sold in the United States. Grandma's molasses products are offered in two styles: Grandma's Original Molasses and Grandma's Robust Molasses. The Joan of Arc brand, which originated in 1895, includes a full range of canned beans including kidney, chili and other varieties.

The Regina brand includes vinegars and cooking wines. Regina products are commonly used in the preparation of salad dressings as well as in a variety of recipe applications, including sauces, marinades and soups. The Static Guard brand i! nclude th! e anti-static spray category. The Sugar Twin brand is a calorie free sugar substitute. The Baker's Joy brand include no-stick baking spray with flour. The Wright's brand is an all-natural seasoning that reproduces the flavor and aroma of pit smoking in meats, chicken and fish. Wright's is offered in three flavors: Hickory, Mesquite and Applewood. The Brer Rabbit brand offers mild and full-flavored molasses as well as blackstrap molasses. Mild molasses is designed for table use and full-flavored molasses is typically used in baking, barbeque sauces and as a breakfast syrup. The Sa-son brand is a flavor enhancer used primarily for Puerto Rican and Hispanic food preparation. The product is generally used on beef, poultry, fish and vegetables. The brand's flavor enhancer is offered in four flavors: Original, Coriander and Achiote, Garlic and Onion, and Tomato. The Company also offers reduced sodium versions of Sa-son. The Vermont Maid brand include maple-flavored syrup under the brand name. Vermont Maid syrup is available in regular, sugar-free and sugar-free butter varieties. The Molly McButter brand include the butter sprinkles category. Molly McButter is an all natural sprinkle, available in butter and cheese flavors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Top losers in the sector included B&G Foods (NYSE: BGS), off 5.6 percent, and Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO), down 3.5 percent.

  Top Headline
  The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Goldman Sachs posted its quarterly earnings of $2.03 billion, or $4.02 per share, down from $2.26 billion, or $4.29 per share, in the year-ago period. Its total revenue declined 8% to $9.33 billion from $10.09 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $3.48 per share on revenue of $8.66 billion.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Among holdings in which Diamond Hill Capital Management increased its stake was B&G Foods (NYSE: BGS  ) , a snack specialist recently yielding 3.3%. B&G has faced rising food costs in recent years, and has also been a frequent acquirer, though some would like to see it grow organically, without relying on acquisitions. (A recent buy is Pirate Brands, maker of Pirate's Booty snacks.) Its brands include Ortega, Mrs. Dash, Cream of Wheat, Underwood, Molly McButter, Baker's Joy, and Static Guard. Its just-completed quarter featured revenue up 8% but net income in the red and overall results underperforming expectations.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  More than a handful of small dividend-paying companies had strong performances over the past year. B&G Foods (NYSE: BGS  ) surged 35% and recently yielded 3.4%. The company has faced rising food costs in recent years and has also been a savvy acquirer. (A recent buy is Pirate Brands, maker of Pirate's Booty snacks.) Its brands include Ortega, Mrs. Dash, Cream of Wheat, Underwood, Molly McButter, Baker's Joy, and Static Guard. There's some worry, though, about how well it can grow organically, without relying on acquisitions. B&G has carried significant debt, but it has refinanced and reduced that.

• [By Daniela Pylypczak]

  B&G Foods (BGS) released its third quarter results on Thursday after the closing bell.

  The company reported earnings of 35 cents for the third quarter, slightly below analyst expectations of 40 cents. Revenues were reported at $181.4 million, below estimates of $184.83 million. From a year prior, B&G did see net sales increase 17.6%, though net income decreased 9.2% due to losses on extinguishment of debt, and acquisition-related transaction costs of $3.4 million.

  Commenting on the company’s performance, CEO David L. Wenner stated “Our business saw continued strong growth in net sales, net income and adjusted EBITDA during the third quarter. Putting acquisition growth aside, our base business net sales followed industry trends and declined for the quarter. Given current trends in the packaged foods industry, we expect growth in our base business to be challenging during the fourth quarter of 2013.”

  B&G Foods shares traded 0.43% higher during Thursday’s session. Year-to-date, the stock is up 26.59%.