5 Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2014

Despite turmoil in Washington and skepticism over the Affordable Care Act, two industry heavyweights remain bullish about equities and the economy.

“Forecasting the market is pretty basic — just watch the correlation to corporate earnings growth and the S&P 500,” Douglas Cot� the chief investment strategist at ING U.S. Investment Management, told an audience of over 500 at the Investment Management Consultants Association's Advanced Wealth Management Conference in Chicago. “When earnings grow, stocks go up and when earnings slow stocks go down.”

With that in mind, and in the context of what he described as “the Washington mess,” Mr. Cot�said the “safest trade right now is to get back to a full allocation to equities.”

Top 5 Specialty Retail Companies To Invest In 2015: NET Servicos de Comunicacao S.A.(NETC)

Net Servicos de Comunicacao S.A., through its subsidiaries, provides cable television, Internet access, and voice services in Brazil. It offers cable television services under the ?NET? brand name through various cable networks located in the largest cities of Brazil. The company also offers broadband Internet access services under the ?NET VIRTUA? brand name by using Embratel's IP backbone infrastructure. In addition, it provides voice services under the ?NET FONE VIA EMBRATEL? brand name jointly with Embratel. Further, the company offers integrated video, broadband, and voice services. Net Servicos de Comunicacao S.A. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vanina Egea] offers bundled services and has aggressively expanded its Internet and TV subscriber base in the state.

  Investing for Long-term Growth

  Looking forward, Telef贸nica Brasil is investing in technology and network expansion to further empower its competitive position. The firm is expanding its 3G network based on CDMA EV-DO and HSPA technologies, which provide a great advantage over its peers. Further, it expects to benefit from the growth opportunities in the 4G market. Consequently, it has signed a deal with Ceragon Networks Ltd. (CRNT) to deploy the superfast 4G network nationwide.

  A Valuable Stock

  Telef贸nica Brasil has a healthy balance sheet with strong cash flow generation (up to 9,576 million in 2013 from 3,488 million in 2011) and reasonable debt levels. Its net debt-to-EBITDA ratio is of 0.17 times and it has a debt- to-equity ratio of 0.2 against its peers��average of 0.9. Its financial strength and a robust dividend have attracted investment gurus like Charles Brandes (Trades, Portfolio) and David Dreman (Trades, Portfolio), who have recently incorporated the company to its portfolio.

  Considering the stock�� trading price of 14.6x its trailing earnings compared to the peer group average of 16.90x, and a compelling dividend yield of 7.30 with a payout ratio of 1.1 (against its competitors��median of 3.53 and 0.62, respectively), I believe this stock is a worthy investment opportunity with excellent growth potential.

  Disclosure: Vanina Egea holds no position in any stocks mentioned.

  Also check out: Charles Brandes Undervalued Stocks Charles Brandes Top Growth Companies Charles Brandes High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Charles Brandes keeps buyingAbout the author:Vanina EgeaA fundamental analyst at Lone Tree Analytics

  Visit Vanina Egea's Website

  Currently 5.00/512345

  Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote)

  Voters: Subscribe via Email Subscribe RSS Comments Please leave your comment: $(do

5 Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2014: MFS Intermediate Income Trust (MIN)

MFS Intermediate Income Trust (the Trust) is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The Trust seeks to preserve capital and provide high current income. It maintains a portfolio that includes investments in short and intermediate-term United States Government and foreign high-grade securities.

MFS Intermediate Income Trust's portfolio includes non-United States Government bonds, mortgage-backed securities, the United States Government agency securities, the United States Treasury securities, emerging market bonds, commercial mortgage-backed securities, residential mortgage-backed securities and high-grade corporate securities. The Trust can invest in foreign securities, including securities of emerging market issuers. The Trust's investment advisor is Massachusetts Financial Services Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Akaralph]

  I have written about MFS Intermediate Income Fund (MIN) on a few previous occasions, most recently here. I have extolled its virtues as a defensive play in a bear market scenario.

5 Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA (ELET6)

Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA (Eletrobras) is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the electric power generation, transmission and distribution. The Company operates and maintains hydroelectric power plants, thermal power plants, nuclear power plants and wind/solar power plants. The Company acts as an agent for managing and investing government funds related to the energy sector, such as the Global Reversion Reserve (RGR), Fuel Consumption Account (CCC) and Energy Development Account (CDE). The Company also manages government programs, such as the National Electric Energy Conservation Program (Procel), the National Program for the Universalization of Access and Use of Electricity (Luz Para Todos) and the Alternative Energy Sources Incentive Program (Proninfa). In October, 2013, the Company acquired a 50% stake in the share capital of Rouar SA, held by Administracion Nacional de Usinas y Transmisiones Electricas UTE. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Patricia Lara]

  Tractebel leapfrogged Cia. Energetica de Minas Gerais, CPFL Energia SA (CPFE3) and Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA (ELET6) in the fourth quarter to become the biggest utility after sidestepping pressure to cut rates because its contracts don�� expire for at least 14 years. Florianopolis, Brazil-based Tractebel has gained 11 percent in the past year, less than Sabesp�� 36 percent rally, which is the most of any utility on the Bovespa index.

5 Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Sabine Royalty Trust(SBR)

Sabine Royalty Trust receives a distribution of royalty and mineral interests from Sabine Corporation. Its royalty and mineral interests, include landowner?s royalties, overriding royalty interests, minerals, production payments, and other non-participatory interests in various producing and proved undeveloped oil and gas properties in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The Sabine Royalty Trust (SBR) is diversified from a geographical perspective, with interests spreading across both producing and undeveloped gas properties in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.� It essentially operates as a holding company into which all the royalties get deposited and all the money gets distributed to shareholders via its 9.2% yield.