Top Stocks To Watch For 2015

U.S. investors are bullish on the stock market, but they��e not showing it by increasing their 401k savings.

That lack of follow-through is a shame, as even a 1% hike in your monthly 401(k) savings plan can add up to $330 per month in your retiree “paycheck” down the road.

This figure comes from Fidelity Investments, which is chiding Americans these days about not saving enough for retirement, even though eight out of 10 investors believe the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index will rise by the end of the year.

However, there is some progress for Americans with their retirement accounts. According to Fidelity, 401(k) plan balances rose 11% recently to a nationwide average of $80,600. And if you have been working for a company that offered 401(k) plans for the past 10 years, the average balance number leaps to $211,800��p 19% from a year ago.

But in a recent report from Fidelity on U.S. workers and their 401(k) plans, company analysts say Americans are costing themselves income in retirement by being stingy on their retirement plan contributions now.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation(FCF)

First Commonwealth Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for First Commonwealth Bank that provides consumer and commercial banking services to individuals and small and mid-sized businesses in central and western Pennsylvania. The company offers personal checking accounts, interest-earning checking accounts, savings accounts, health savings accounts, insured money market accounts, debit cards, investment certificates, fixed and variable rate certificates of deposit, and IRA accounts. It also provides secured and unsecured installment loans, construction and mortgage loans, safe deposit facilities, credit lines with overdraft checking protection, and student loans, as well as Internet and telephone banking, and automated teller machine services. In addition, the company offers commercial banking services, including commercial lending, small and high-volume business checking accounts, on-line account management services, ACH origination, payroll direct deposi t, commercial cash management services, and repurchase agreements. Further, it provides various trust and asset management services, as well as a complement of auto, home, business, and term life insurance. Additionally, the company offers annuities, mutual funds, stock, and bond brokerage services through an arrangement with a broker-dealer and insurance brokers. It operates 115 community banking offices in western Pennsylvania and 2 loan production offices in downtown Pittsburgh and State College, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By anina Egea]

  A measure of financial performance calculated as operating cash flow minus capital expenditures. Free cash flow (FCF) represents the cash that a company is able to generate after laying out the money required to maintain or expand its asset base. Free cash flow is important because it allows a company to pursue opportunities that enhance shareholder value. Without cash, it's tough to develop new products, make acquisitions, pay dividends and reduce debt.

• [By Joshi Madhavi]

  Operating cash flow has been quite volatile over the last five years. All of this cash flow does not come to the company�� shareholders though. The reason is an employee of the Group holds a 49.9% minority interest in the shares of a group entity and has an option to acquire a further 12.6% of the shares. Major portion of the profit/operating cash flow seems to go out to minority interest holders. In 2010, 15% of net income went to minority interest ��this has increased to more than 60% in 2012. After deducting this, the free cash flow (FCF) coming to company shareholders has reduced to $3.5 million in 2012.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc (FCS)

Fairchild Semiconductor International, Inc. (Fairchild) focuses on developing, manufacturing and selling power analog, power discrete and certain non-power semiconductor solutions to a range of end market customers. The Company is a supplier of power analog products, power discrete products and energy-efficient solutions, according to iSuppli. Its products are used in a range of electronic applications, including sophisticated computers and Internet hardware; communications, including wireless phones; networking and storage equipment; industrial power supply and instrumentation equipment; consumer electronics, such as digital cameras, displays, audio/video devices and household appliances, and automotive applications.

The Company�� product groups are organized by the end markets, which include Mobile, Computing, Consumer and Communication (MCCC), Power Conversion, Industrial and Automotive (PCIA) and Standard Discrete and Standard Linear (SDT). It invested in the wafer fabrication power semiconductor technology, including low and mid voltage PowerTrench, advanced insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), as well as advanced high power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET) fabrication technologies.

Mobile, Computing, Consumer and Communication (MCCC)

The Company designs, manufactures and markets high-performance analog and mixed signal integrated circuits, low voltage power MOSFETs for mobile, consumer, computing, and communication applications. It has a portfolio of PowerTrench technology products. Its analog and mixed signal products are focused on the mobile end- markets.

Analog products monitor, interpret, and control continuously variable functions, such as light, color, sound, and energy. It forms the interface with the digital world. It provides a range of analog products that perform such tasks as voltage regulation, audio amplification, power and signal switching and system management. Analog voltage regulation circ! uits are used to provide constant voltages, as well as step up or step down voltage levels on a circuit board. These products enable improvements in power efficiency, lighting management, and improve charge times in ultraportable products. These products are used in a variety of mobile, computing, communications and consumer applications.

In addition to the power analog and interface products, it also offers signal path products. These include analog and digital switches, universal serial bus (USB) switches, video filters and high performance audio amplifiers. The analog switch functions are typically found in cellular handsets and other ultra portable applications. The video products provide a single chip solution to video filtering and amplification. Video filtering applications include set top boxes and digital television. Its solutions include surface mount devices, tiny packages, chip scale packages, and leadless carriers.

The Company also design, manufacture and market power semiconductor solutions for computing, communications, mobile, consumer and industrial applications. Power semiconductor solutions include, power discrete MOSFETs, analog integrated circuits, and fully integrated multi-chip and monolithic power solutions. Its power MOSFETs are primarily used in power delivery and power control applications. Power delivery and control applications are ubiquitous across data consumption, processing and communication applications. It produces advanced low power MOSFETs under its PowerTrench brands. The advanced power MOSFETs applications are used in smartphones, tablets, notebook personal computer, high performance gaming, home entertainment systems, servers, data communication, and routers.

The Company competes with Analog Devices, Inc., Linear Technology Corporation, Maxim Integrated Product, Inc., Micrel Inc, ON Semiconductor Corporation, ST Microelectronics N.V., Intersil Corporation, International Rectifier Corporation, Infineon Technologies AG and T! exas Inst! ruments Incorporated.

Power Conversion, Industrial and Automotive (PCIA)

Fairchild design, manufacture and market power discrete semiconductors, analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (ICs) for broad power conversion/power management, industrial, and automotive applications. Its products are building blocks that help convert a semi-regulated energy source (alternating current (AC)or direct current (DC)) to a regulated output for electronic systems (AC-DC, DC-AC, and DC-DC conversion). Its discrete devices are individual diodes or transistors that perform power switching, power conditioning and signal amplification functions in electronic circuits. The Company�� analog and mixed signal integrated circuits (IC) are used to control discrete semiconductors in applications, such as power switching, conditioning, signal amplification, power distribution and power consumption. It manufacture discrete products using vertical DMOS MOSFETs, Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT), Bipolar, and ultrafast rectifier technologies. It manufacture analog and mixed signal ICs using a range of bipolar (Bi), complementary metal oxide (CMOS), BiCMOS, and bipolar/CMOS/DMOS (BCDMOS) processes up to 1,200 volts and down to 0.35um (microns) minimum geometry.

Power MOSFETs are used in applications to switch, shape or transfer energy. These products are used in a range of high-growth applications, including solar inverters, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), data centers and communications, motors, lighting, automotive, computing, displays and industrial supplies. It produce advanced power MOSFETs under its SupreMOS, SuperFET, PowerTrench, UniFET and QFET brands. IGBTs are high-voltage power discrete devices. They are used in switching applications for solar inverters, uninterruped power supply, data centers and communications, motors, industrial, power supplies, displays, television and automotive ignition systems. These applications require lower switching frequencies, highe! r power, ! and/or higher voltages than a power MOSFET can provide. It is a supplier of IGBTs. Rectifier products work with IGBTs and MOSFETs in many applications to provide power conversion and conditioning. Its product is the STEALTH rectifier, providing industry performance and efficiencies in data communications, industrial power supply, displays, television, and motor applications.

Leveraging its power MOSFET and IGBT technologies, it also design and manufacture modules for the industrial, automotive, and home appliance end markets. It design and develop a line of smart power modules (SPM) products targeted to various end applications in consumer white goods and industrial applications, which include room air conditioners, industrial power supplies, solar inverters, pumps, and industrial motors. These are multi-chip modules containing up to 28 components in a single package that includes diodes, power discrete IGBTs or MOSFETs, high voltage power management driver ICs and current and temperature sensors. Similar modules, called APM, are used in automotive applications.

The Company design and manufacture power management semiconductors for line-powered and off-line powered systems that integrate its Power MOSFETs. It sell and market off-line and isolated DC-DC ICs, MOSFET and IGBT gate driver ICs, and power factor correction ICs to the consumer, computing, display, television, lighting and industrial segments.

The Company competes with Infineon Technologies AG, ST MicroelectronicsN.V., International Rectifier Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Power Integrations, Inc., ON Semiconductor Corporation, NXP Semiconductors N.V. and Vishay Intertechnology, Inc.

Standard Linear and Standard Discrete (SDT)

Standard Diodes and Transistors products cover a range of semiconductor products, including MOSFET, junction field effect transistors (JFETs), high power bipolar, discrete small signal transistors, TVS,! Zeners, ! rectifiers, bridge rectifiers, Schottky devices and diodes. The Company design, manufacture and market analog integrated circuits for computing, consumer, communications, ultra-portable and industrial applications. These products are manufactured using bipolar, CMOS and BiCMOS technologies. Standard Linear solutions range from bipolar regulators, shunt regulators, low drop out regulators, standard op-amp/comparators, low voltage op-amps, and others. Analog voltage regulator circuits are used to provide constant voltages, as well as to step up or step down voltage levels on a circuit board. Op-amps/comparators are designed specifically to operate from a single power supply over a range of voltages. It also offer low-voltage op-amps that provide a combination of low power, rail-to-rail performance, low voltage operation, and tiny package options which are well suited for use in personal electronics equipment. Its solutions include surface mount devices, tiny packages and leadless carriers.

The Company competes with International Rectifier Corporation, Diodes Incorporated, NXP Semiconductors N.V., ST Microelectronics N.V., ON Semiconductor Corporation, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Vishay Intertechnology, Inc., Vishay Intertechnology, Inc, Osram Opto Semiconductors, OPTEK Technology, OMRON Corporation, Avago Technologies Ltd. and Kodenshi Corp.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Fairchild Semiconductor International (NYSE: FCS  ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Fairchild Semiconductor International met expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Alex Planes]

  In an epochal paper published in Electronics magazine on April 19, 1965 and simply titled "Cramming more components onto integrated circuits," Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS  ) director of research Gordon E. Moore wrote (emphasis mine):

• [By Alex Planes]

  Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce were part of the founding team behind Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS  ) in 1957. In 11 years, the two men would forge legendary hardware-engineering careers. They developed the first practical integrated circuits, created the most widely recognized "law" of computing power, and built the chips that helped man land on the moon. But after 11 years, the two chip makers left the plodding Fairchild behind for even greater ambitions. On July 18, 1968, they founded Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) , a company that would quickly and vastly eclipse their former employer.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of power chip specialist Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS  ) sank 10% today after its quarterly results and outlook missed Wall Street expectations.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Own Right Now: Pernix Therapeutics Holdings Inc (PTX)

Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. (Pernix), incorporated in November 8, 1996, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the sales, marketing and development of branded and generic pharmaceutical products for pediatric and adult indications in a range of therapeutic areas. It manages a portfolio of branded and generic products and theobromine, a non-codeine, cough suppressant product candidate in development. The Company�� branded products for the pediatrics market include CEDAX, an antibiotic for middle ear infections, NATROBA, a topical treatment for head lice marketed under an exclusive co-promotion agreement with ParaPRO, LLC and a family of prescription treatments for cough and cold (BROVEX, ALDEX and PEDIATEX). It also markets REZYST IM, which is a probiotic blend to promote dietary management. Pernix markets generic products through its wholly owned subsidiary, Macoven Pharmaceuticals, LLC. In January 2013, the Company acquired Cypress Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Hawthorn Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In March 2013, the Company acquired Somaxon Pharmaceuticals Inc. In September 2013, Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. completed the sale of certain non-core assets to Breckenridge Pharmaceutical, Inc.

The Company�� customers consist of drug wholesalers, retail drug stores, mass merchandisers and grocery store pharmacies in the United States. It primarily sells products directly to drug wholesalers, which in turn distribute the products to retail drug stores, mass merchandisers and grocery store pharmacies.

ALDEX Line

ALDEX is a line of antihistamines, decongestants and cough suppressants that are indicated for the temporary relief of respiratory allergies, allergic rhinitis and symptoms of the common cold. The Company�� ALDEX product line is marketed in a range of formulations and combinations using different drug-delivery methodologies to target specific segments of the antihistamine, decongestant and cough suppressant markets. Two used decongestants ar! e phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine.

BROVEX Line

The BROVEX line is a line of antihistamine combinations with the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) brompheniramine maleate, part of the first generation class of antihistamines called alkylamines that are indicated for the temporary relief of sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, itchy nose or throat, and runny nose due to hay fever or other respiratory allergies. Its BROVEX product line is marketed in a range of formulations and combinations to target specific segments of the antihistamine market. The Company completed the conversion of the BROVEX product family to over-the-counter (OTC) monograph from DESI drugs, in April 2011.

CEDAX Line

CEDAX is a third generation oral cephalosporin indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, middle ear infection due to haemophilus influenza or streptococcus pyogenes. The Company sells a range of dosages utilizing both capsule and oral suspension drug delivery methodologies. It also owns a trademark on the name CEDAX in the United States.

NATROBA Line

NATROBA Topical Suspension is a prescription medicine used to treat head lice (pediculosis capitis) in adults and children four years of age and older. NATROBA contains the active ingredient spinosad, which is derived from a naturally occurring soil bacterium.

PEDIATEX Line

As of December 31, 2011, the only product that the Company marketed and sold in its PEDIATEX line is PEDIATEX TD. PEDIATEX TD is an antihistamine/nasal decongestant combination liquid for oral administration. Each 1 milliliter dose contains the API Tripolidine HC1 and Pseudoephedrine HC1. Tripolidine HC1 is a first generation antihistamine in the alkylamine class. Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, is a sympathomimetic, which acts on alpha-adrenergic receptors in the mucosa of the respiratory tract, producing vasoconstriction and having minimal eff! ect on be! ta-receptors. It therefore functions as an oral nasal decongestant with minimal central nervous system stimulation.

REZYST Line

REZYST IM is a probiotic blend that promotes the dietary management of patients with the distinctive nutritional requirements associated with the gastro-intestinal flora. It is formulated to improve the digestive health of patients by replacing the active cultures altered by diet, stress, and antibiotics.

Product Candidates in Development

Product candidates in development include Theobromine. Theobromine is an alkaloid naturally present in dark chocolate which is an existing human metabolite of caffeine. The Company is working on several other product candidates, which includes a prescription product for the pediatrics market. In March 2012, the Company entered into a product development agreement with a private company for this product.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Healthcare stocks gained Wednesday, with Senomyx (NASDAQ: SNMX) leading advancers after the company announced a research agreement with PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP). Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from Pernix Therapeutics Holdings (NASDAQ: PTX), Albany Molecular Research (NASDAQ: AMRI) and Gentiva Health Services (NASDAQ: GTIV).

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: GrafTech International Ltd (GTI)

GrafTech International Ltd (GTI) incorporated on April 26, 2010, is a manufacturer of graphite electrodes, products essential to the production of electric arc furnace (EAF) steel and various other ferrous and nonferrous metals. The Company also produces needle coke products, which are the primary raw material needed in the manufacture of graphite electrodes. The Company also manufactures carbon, graphite, and semi-graphite refractory products, which protect the walls of blast furnaces and submerged arc furnaces. The Company is manufactures and provides graphite and carbon materials used in the transportation, solar and oil and gas exploration industries. The Company's operating segments include Industrial Materials, which include graphite electrodes, refractory products and needle coke products, and Engineered Solutions, which includes advanced electronics technologies, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials, and advanced materials. The Company has seven product categories: graphite electrodes, refractory products, needle coke products, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials, advanced electronics technologies (formerly referred to as natural graphite products), and advanced materials.

Industrial Materials.

The Company's Industrial Materials segment manufactures and delivers graphite electrodes, refractory products and needle coke products. Approximately 70% of the Company's graphite electrodes sold is consumed in the EAF steel melting process. The remaining approximately 30% of the Company's graphite electrodes sold is primarily used in various other ferrous and non-ferrous melting applications, including steel refining ladle furnace operations for both EAF and basic oxygen furnace steel production, fused materials, chemical processing, and alloy metals. The Company is a producer of petroleum needle coke. Needle coke is the raw material in the manufacture of the graphite electrodes used in melting operations. The Company is also a leadi! ng global supplier of carbon, semi-graphitic and graphite refractory hearth linings for blast and submerged arc furnaces used to produce iron and ferro alloys.

The Company competes with SGL Carbon A.G. Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd. Showa Denko Carbon K.K. Graphite India Limited, HEG Limited, SEC Corporation Limited, Nippon Carbon Co., Ltd., Energoprom Group, Beijing FangDa Carbon Tech Co. Ltd., Sinosteel Corporation, Phillips 66, Petrocokes Japan Limited , Mitsubishi Chemical Company, Baosteel Group , C-Chem Co., Ltd. Indian Oil Company Limited, Hongte Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. JX Holdings Inc., Petrochina International Jinzhou Co., Ltd. and Sinosteel Anshan Research Institute of Thermo-Energy Co. Ltd.

Engineered Solutions

The Engineered Solutions segment includes advanced electronics technologies, advanced graphite materials, advanced composite materials and advanced materials. Advanced electronics technology products consist of electronic thermal management solutions, fuel cell components, and sealing materials. These products are used in transportation, alternative energy, metallurgical, chemical, oil and gas exploration and various other industries. Advanced composite materials are engineered carbon products that are woven into various shapes to primarily support the aerospace and defense industries. Advanced materials use carbon and graphite powders as components or additives in a variety of industries, including metallurgical processing, battery and fuel cell components, and polymer additives.

SGL Carbon A.G., Mersen S.A., Tokai Carbon Co., Ltd., Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd., SEC Carbon Ltd, Nippon Carbon Co. Ltd, Graphite India Ltd. (India) , Panasonic Corporation , and Kaneka Corporation .

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Rhyu joins the company from IAC's (NASDAQ: IACI  ) Match.com, where he has filled the roles of both CFO and chief administrative officer since 2011. Previous to that, he was a senior vice president at News Corp's (NASDAQ: FOXA  ) Dow Jones & Company. He also served as corporate controller for both Sirius XM Radio and GrafTech International (NYSE: GTI  ) .

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: Alterra Capital Holdings Ltd(ALTE)

Alterra Capital Holdings Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides specialty insurance and reinsurance products to corporations, public entities, and property and casualty insurers in North America, Europe, and internationally. It offers professional liability products, which include errors and omissions insurance, employment practices liability insurance, and directors and officers insurance; excess liability products, such as excess umbrella liability insurance, excess product liability insurance, excess medical malpractice insurance, and excess product recall insurance; and property insurance, as well as provides airline, general aviation, and aerospace insurance. The company also offers reinsurance products consisting of agriculture, auto, aviation, credit/surety, general casualty, marine and energy, medical malpractice, professional liability, property, whole account, and workers? compensation reinsurance. In addition, it offers general liability, inland mari ne, and ocean marine insurance; accident and health insurance and reinsurance, financial institutions insurance, and surety reinsurance; and employers? and public liability insurance, and medical malpractice insurance, as well as life and annuity reinsurance. The company was formerly known as Max Capital Group Ltd. and changed its name to Alterra Capital Holdings Limited in May 2010. Alterra Capital Holdings Limited was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  About that whale...
  If that weren't enough, Markel also announced this morning it has officially completed its $3 billion acquisition of Alterra (NASDAQ: ALTE  ) , which, as I noted back in February, was a radical departure from Markel's typically smaller buyout targets. While it will undoubtedly take some time to fully integrate Alterra's operations, management expressed excitement for Alterra's ability to help Markel expand its global footprint in the insurance and reinsurance market.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: Select Medical Holdings Corporation(SEM)

Select Medical Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary, Select Medical Corporation, operates specialty hospitals and outpatient rehabilitation clinics in the United States. The company?s Specialty Hospitals segment offers long term acute care hospital services and inpatient acute rehabilitative hospital care. This segment provides services for various medical conditions, such as respiratory failure, neuromuscular disorders, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, strokes, non-healing wounds, cardiac disorders, renal disorders, and cancer. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 110 long term acute care hospitals and 9 inpatient rehabilitation facilities in 28 states. The Outpatient Rehabilitation segment operates clinics; and provides physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation services. It offers medical rehabilitation services on a contract basis at nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living and senior care centers, schools, and worksites. This segment also pro vides specialized programs, such as functional programs for work related injuries, hand therapy, and athletic training services. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 954 outpatient rehabilitation clinics in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Select Medical Holdings Corporation was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Overvalued companies include MWI Veterinary (MWIV) and�Stericycle (SRCL), while companies with attractive valuations include Cardinal Health (CAH), Selected Medical (SEM). He’s not a fan of Intrexon (XON) but calls�Aratana (PETX) a “hidden gem.”

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  2013 has been a pretty poor year for shareholders of Select Medical Holdings (SEM). Shares of the billion-dollar health care facilities stock have fallen around 10% since the calendar flipped over to January. That means that SEM is underperforming the S&P 500 by more than 36% year-to-date. But investors could be in store for a reprieve thanks to the bullish setup that's been forming in shares.

  SEM is currently forming an ascending triangle bottom, a bullish setup that's formed by a horizontal resistance level above shares at $9 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as shares of Select bounce in between those two technically-important levels, they're getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above our $9 price ceiling. When that happens, we've got a buy signal in shares.

  Select Medical broke its downtrend back in the summer, but $9 has held firm as resistance ever since. One potential early indicator of a breakout is going to be momentum: 14-day RSI has hit its head on 70 the last couple times SEM hit its head on $9. A breakout above 70 on the momentum gauge is likely to lead the price breakout.

• [By Sean Williams]

  A simple numbers game
  For hospital operators like Select Medical (NYSE: SEM  ) , the future is just a numbers game as long as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gets implemented on Jan. 1, 2014.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: STAAR Surgical Company(STAA)

STAAR Surgical Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of implantable lenses for the cataracts and refractive surgery. It offers intraocular lenses (IOL) that include silicone Toric IOL, which is used in cataract surgery to treat preexisting astigmatism; Preloaded Injector, a three-piece silicone or acrylic IOL preloaded into a single-use disposable injector; Aspheric IOLs that provide a clearer image than traditional spherical IOLs; and nanoFLEX IOL, a single-piece collamer aspheric IOL. The company also provides implantable collamer lenses (ICL) comprising VISIAN ICL and VISIAN Toric ICL to treat refractive disorders, such as myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. In addition, it sells surgical products and other related instruments, as well as manufactures AquaFlow device for the treatment of glaucoma. The company markets its products to health care providers, including surgical centers, hospitals, managed care pro viders, health maintenance organizations, group purchasing organizations, and government facilities primarily under the STAAR, Visian, Collamer, nanoFLEX, nanoPOINT, CentraFLOW, AquaPORT, Epiphany, and AquaFlow names. It distributes its products through directly employed representatives, independent sales representatives, and local distributors in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Monrovia, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Monday morning, the healthcare sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from Sarepta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SRPT) and STAAR Surgical Company (NASDAQ: STAA). In trading on Monday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.45 percent.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: Cass Information Systems Inc(CASS)

Cass Information Systems, Inc. provides payment and information processing services to large manufacturing, distribution, and retail enterprises in the United States. The company provides transportation invoice rating, payment, audit, accounting, and transportation information services. It also processes and pays utility invoices, including electricity, gas, and other facility related expenses, as well as offers bill processing, audit, and payment services for telephone, data line, cellular, and communication equipment expense to the telecommunications expense management market. In addition, Cass Information Systems, through its banking subsidiary, Cass Commercial Bank, provides a range of commercial banking products and services, such as checking, savings, and time deposit accounts; commercial and commercial real estate loans; and cash management services to privately owned businesses, and churches and church-related ministries. It operates through five branches, includin g four in the St. Louis metropolitan area; and one in southern California. The company was formerly known as Cass Commercial Corporation and changed its name to Cass Information Systems, Inc. in January 2001. Cass Information Systems, Inc. was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Bridgeton, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Carlson]

  Cass Information Systems (CASS) provides invoice management, audit, and payment services for companies in a variety of industries. The company disburses approximately $35 billion annually for its clients.

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: Piper Jaffray Companies(PJC)

Piper Jaffray Companies provides investment banking, institutional brokerage, asset management, and related financial services to corporations, private equity groups, public entities, non-profit entities, and institutional investors in the United States, Asia, and Europe. The company raises capital through equity financings; provides advisory services, primarily relating to mergers and acquisitions for its corporate clients; underwrites debt issuances; and offers financial advisory and interest rate risk management services. Its public finance investment banking capabilities focus on state and local governments, as well as healthcare, higher education, housing, hospitality, transportation, and commercial real estate industries, as well as operates in business and financial services, clean technology and renewables, consumer, and industrial growth, as well as media, telecommunications, and technology industries. The company also offers equity and fixed income advisory and t rade execution services for institutional investors, and government and non-profit entities; and is involved in proprietary trading, as well as has equity sales and trading relationships with institutional investors. In addition, it provides asset management services to separately managed accounts, private funds or partnerships, and open-end and closed-end registered investment companies or funds; and offers an array of investment products comprising small and mid-cap value equity, and master limited partnerships focused on the energy industry, as well as fixed income. Further, the company engages in merchant banking activities, which comprises proprietary debt or equity investments in late stage private companies, and investments in private equity and venture capital funds, as well as other firm investments and forfeiture of stock-based compensation. Piper Jaffray Companies was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of investment banking and asset management firm Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC  ) sank as much as 11% after reporting disappointing second-quarter earnings results.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Investment banker Piper Jaffray (NYSE: PJC  ) expanded its municipal debt business Wednesday, when it purchased Seattle-Northwest Securities in a transaction valued at approximately $21 million.

• [By EXPstocktrader]

  3) Piper Jaffray (PJC): Recent weakness is unwarranted as the landscape for Acthar remains favorable: OVERWEIGHT (BUY) rating and $74 PT

  4) CRT Capital: BUY rating and $79 PT.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $117.55 million.

  W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $3.03 per share on revenue of $2.42 billion.