Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now

The price of oil rose above $88 a barrel on Friday as traders cautiously returned to commodity markets following sharp sell-offs this week.

At midday, benchmark crude for May delivery was up 30 cents to $88.30 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Thursday the Nymex contract for West Texas Intermediate rose $1.05 a barrel.

Crude has lost about $9 a barrel since the beginning of the month, as various reports highlighted slower growth in China and still-sluggish growth in the U.S. and elsewhere, while oil supplies remained high.

At the same time investors sold off gold, silver and other commodities, and looked to the stock market for better returns in the long run. The stock market had a volatile week as many of those investors bought and sold shares, looking to consolidate their positions.

Analysts said relatively low prices for oil and a weaker dollar rekindled interest among buyers.

"Crude oil prices rebounded and climbed higher on Friday ... supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and a strong rebound in the global equity markets and increased risk appetite," said a note from Sucden Financial Research in London. A weaker dollar makes crude cheaper -- and a more attractive investment -- for traders using other currencies.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks For 2015: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated provides healthcare services in the United States. Its Health Benefits segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; and non-employer based insurance options for purchase by individuals. It also provides health and well-being services for individuals aged 50 and older; and for services dealing with chronic disease and other specialized issues for older individuals, as well as health plans for the beneficiaries of acute and long-term care Medicaid plans. This segment offers its services through a network of 730,000 physicians and other health care professionals, and 5,300 hospitals. Its OptumHealth segment provides health, financial, and ancillary services and products that assist consumers through personalized health management solutions; benefit administration, and clinical and network management; health-based financi al services; behavioral solutions; and specialty benefits, such as dental, vision, life, critical illness, short-term disability, and stop-loss product offerings. The company?s Ingenix segment offers database and data management services, software products, publications, consulting and actuarial services, business process outsourcing services, and pharmaceutical data consulting and research services. Its Prescription Solutions segment provides integrated pharmacy benefit management services comprising retail network pharmacy contracting and management, claims processing, mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy, benefit design consultation, rebate contracting and management, drug utilization review, formulary management programs, disease therapy management, and adherence programs to employer groups, union trusts, managed care organizations, Medicare-contracted plans, Medicaid plans, and third party administrators. The company was founded in 1974 and is based in Minne tonka, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  The nation's largest health insurer, UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH  ) , also spiked 6.5% higher after reporting its second-quarter results. Fairly consistent with what we saw last quarter, UnitedHealth came in a tad light on the revenue side of its business than Wall Street had expected -- $30.4 billion versus $30.5 billion -- but tight cost controls helped push its $1.40 in EPS well past the $1.25 that the Street had forecast. UnitedHealth can attribute the majority of its earnings strength to strong commercial health-insurance enrollment. Looking forward, I like UnitedHealth's chances of heading higher, presuming the implementation of Obamacare goes off without too many hitches.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  Warren Buffett doesn't have a preference for big companies. He has a preference for big investments. The reason why he spent $10 billion buying IBM (IBM) stock is because he likes to put a big chunk of his portfolio into a single stock. He doesn't like spreading his bets across a couple dozen companies.

• [By Bob Ciura]

  On Oct. 20, IBM� (NYSE: IBM  ) handed in a dud of an earnings report. The company badly missed analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines, and the stock crashed 8% immediately after the quarterly numbers were released.
  

• [By Trustamind]

  ��y own preference -- and you knew this was coming -- is our third category: investment in productive assets, whether businesses, farms, or real estate. Ideally, these assets should have the ability in inflationary times to deliver output that will retain its purchasing-power value while requiring a minimum of new capital investment. Farms, real estate, and many businesses such as Coca-Cola (KO), IBM (IBM), and our own See's Candy meet that double-barreled test. Certain other companies -- think of our regulated utilities, for example -- fail it because inflation places heavy capital requirements on them. To earn more, their owners must invest more. Even so, these investments will remain superior to nonproductive or currency-based assets.��/p>

• [By CNBC]

  Mark Wilson/Getty ImagesFederal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke "Taper talk" could pretty much be dead until next year. Thanks to the dysfunction in Washington, many Fed watchers now see the first taper in the Federal Reserve's bond buying coming sometime later than expected -- certainly not before December but probably in the first quarter. Wall Street had been geared up for the start of a pullback from the easing program sometime this quarter, but a more sluggish economy and fiscal uncertainty make that less likely. "One thing we know for sure, as much as we know anything, is that short-term interest rates are going to stay low for as far as the eye can see," DoubleLine CEO and chief investment officer Jeff Grundlach said on "Squawk on the Street." "Quantitative easing is not even going away. It seems with this budget wrangling, it's going to keep going up." "It means the credit market is really a safer place than it's been for the last few months," he said. Since word of a compromise debt deal came Wednesday, bond yields have fallen and the dollar has tumbled, as traders worried the partisan battling would resume around the next set of deadlines for the budget in January and debt ceiling in February. The 10-year Treasury yield dipped to 2.6 percent from its Wednesday morning high of 2.76 percent, and the dollar index lost a full percent Thursday, trading at a nine-month low of 79.68. The S&P 500 Thursday, after trading lower early in the day, broke through to a new high in the afternoon in a burst of buying. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed up 11 at 1,733, topping its Sept. 19 high. The Dow (^DJI), however, finished down 2 at 15,371, dragged down by losses in IBM (IBM). "You don't have to worry about the government anymore. A couple of speed bumps are out of the way. There's no way they're going to taper this month and the odds of them tapering in December are low," said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG. Greenhaus said the stock market als

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation(LSCC)

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets programmable logic products and related software. The company offers field programmable gate array (FPGA) products, including LatticeECP family for deployment in wireless infrastructure and wireline access equipment, as well as in video and imaging applications; and LatticeXP for the security, surveillance, and display markets. It also provides programmable logic device (PLD) products comprising various versions of ispMACH4000 in-system programmable complex programmable logic device family; MachXO family that is designed for a range of low density applications; platform manager, power manager, and ispClock programmable mixed signal devices; and software development tools and intellectual property cores. The company sells its products directly to end customers through a network of independent manufacturers? representatives and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. It primarily serves original equipment manufacturers in the communications, computing, consumer, industrial, military, automotive, and medical end markets. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a top chip stock to buy at Jefferies. The company announced last month three new complete reference designs that will make it easier for electronic OEMs to deliver media-rich experiences to their end users by taking advantage of low-cost, industry-standard MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) camera, application processor and display technologies. The Jefferies price objective for the stock is $6.50, and the consensus is also at $6.50. Lattice closed yesterday at $4.63.

• [By kcpl]

  Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) is doing well. It has seen improvements in its operations. The company excels in the manufacture of programmable chips which are sold in various segments such as mobile, communications, automotives, industrial etc. The reason for the company�� strong performance has been its key customers such as China Mobile and Cisco. On the back of a strong client base, Lattice has seen a good 40% growth in its stock price. Let us take a look at its business.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: MEDIWARE Information Systems Inc.(MEDW)

Mediware Information Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, and marketing of software solutions targeting specific processes within healthcare institutions. The company offers software systems consisting of company's proprietary application software, and third-party licensed software and hardware. It licenses, implements, and supports clinical and performance management, blood donor, and blood and biologic management products in the United States; and medication management solutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa. The company?s blood and biologics management solutions include HCLL Transfusion and HCLL Donor, which address blood donor recruitment, blood processing, and transfusion activities for hospitals and medical centers; BloodSafe suite of hardware and software that enable healthcare facilities to store, monitor, distribute, and track blood products; LifeTrak software for blood centers; a nd BiologiCare, a bone, tissue, and cellular product tracking software. Its medication management products comprise WORx, a pharmacy information system to manage inpatient and outpatient pharmacy operations; MediCOE, a physician order entry module; MediMAR, a nurse point-of-care administration and bedside documentation module; MediREC, which assists in achieving compliance with a Joint Commission mandate; and pharmacy management and electronic prescribing systems. The company?s performance management products include InSight software that tracks performance metrics to assist healthcare managers to manage performance. It also provides software installation and maintenance services, as well as billing and collection services to home infusion and home/durable medical equipment markets. The company markets its products primarily through its direct sales force. Mediware Information Systems, Inc. was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Mediware Information Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:MEDW) plans to acquire the assets of Indianapolis-based Strategic Healthcare Group LLC (SHG), a leading provider of blood management consulting, education and informatics solutions.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)

Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Hanson]

  For example, in 2012, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) held a roughly $372 billion asset pool which it designated as "Global Excess Liquidity Sources." The bank defines these assets as "high-quality, liquid, unencumbered securities," which it can "quickly obtain cash for ... even in stressed market conditions, through repurchase agreements or outright sales." Of Bank of America's $372 billion, 73% was U.S. agency securities and MBSes.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Leading the way down for the Dow was UnitedHealth, which fell almost 4% after its earnings report included an example of what could become a troubling trend, as a major customer chose to convert from a full-risk insurance plan to a self-insurance fee-based model. But elsewhere in the Dow, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) fell another 2%, adding to losses that have taken the stock down nearly 10% in the past month. Following its earnings report, B of A faces a big challenge: how to move past the capital-restoration stage of its recovery and find ways to foster new growth opportunities. With most of the easy work already having been done, B of A will face competitive pressure and difficult environmental conditions in trying to navigate its way to a stronger turnaround.

• [By Chuck Carnevale]

  The following graph looks at Bank of America (BAC) from calendar year 1999 to calendar year 2006, which was the time period starting from the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act to just prior to the bursting of the US housing bubble. These were the earnings growth golden years for large financial institutions in the United States. Earnings per share for Bank of America grew from $1.53 to $4.65 by year-end 2006 (look at the EPS line at the bottom of the graph). This represented a 12.1% compound annual growth rate of operating earnings per share for Bank of America.

• [By Kiplinger]

  Alamy Stocks of small companies have defied gravity for years now. From the bottom of the bear market on March 9, 2009, through Feb. 14, the Russell 2000 index of small-capitalization stocks has returned an annualized 29.5 percent, trouncing the large-company-oriented Standard & Poor's 500 stock index by an average of 4.4 percentage points per year. What's more, the Russell 2000 (^RUT) has beaten the S&P 500 (^GPSC) every year since 1999, except for 2005, 2007 and 2011. Over that stretch it has returned an annualized 8.2 percent, compared with 4.7 percent for the S&P. That's the longest run of market-beating returns for small caps ever -- far eclipsing the old record set from 1973 to 1983. But that huge outperformance has made small caps "extremely overvalued" in the view of Steven DeSanctis, small-cap strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAC). "This is the upper bound of absolute valuation," he says. (Biotech looks even more problematic; more on that in a minute.) Small caps are about as expensive as they've ever been. Their price-earnings ratio -- based on operating earnings over the past 12 months -- is 23 percent greater than the P/E of the 300 largest U.S. companies, reports the Leuthold Group, a Minneapolis-based investment research firm. That premium is the second-highest since Leuthold began tracking the measure in 1983. (It was slightly higher in 2011). Just look at the numbers. The 300 largest companies trade at a bit less than 16 times estimated 2014 earnings. In contrast, small caps -- which Leuthold defines as stocks with a market value (share price times number of shares outstanding) of less than $3.3 billion -- trade at an average price-earnings ratio of just under 20. What could spark a sell-off? DeSanctis voices several concerns aside from valuation. First, the small-cap earnings reports in the fourth quarter were "sloppy," he says. Year-over-year earnings growth has been a robust 12 percent, but more companies tha

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: S&P GSCI(GD)

General Dynamics Corporation, an aerospace and defense company, provides business aviation; combat vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions; military and commercial shipbuilding; and communications and information technology products and services worldwide. Its Aerospace group designs, manufactures, and outfits various large and mid-cabin business-jet aircraft; provides maintenance, repair work, fixed-based operations, and aircraft management services; and performs aircraft completions for aircraft. The company?s Combat Systems group offers tracked and wheeled military vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions. Its product lines include wheeled combat and tactical vehicles; battle tanks and infantry vehicles; munitions and propellant; rockets and gun systems; and axle and drivetrain components and aftermarket parts. This group also manufactures and supplies engineered axles, suspensions, and brakes for heavy-load vehicles for military and commercial customers. The company Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  The Department of Defense awarded nine separate defense contracts Monday, worth $1.6 billion in total. Among these, two contracts went to General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) and Australian shipbuilder Austal (NASDAQOTH: AUTLY  ) ,�its partner in building half the U.S. Navy's fleet of Littoral Combat Ships, or LCSes.