Hot Freight Companies For 2014

Rallying to a fourth straight record close, the S&P 500 Index (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) remained in undeniably bullish form Wednesday. Wall Street has managed to get good mileage out of two recent decisions by central banks to decrease interest rates. To be fair, when the European Central Bank slashes rates to record lows one week and Australia's central bank cuts rates the next, it can give off an optimistic vibe. But "optimistic vibe" may be a foreign phrase to investors in the three following companies, which were some of the S&P's severest decliners today.

Freight services and logistics company CH Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ: CHRW  ) cratered 7% after shareholders failed to be impressed with the company's quarterly results. Sales came in barely higher than expected, gaining 17% year over year. Earnings, however, were down 2% from the same quarter last year. With operating expenses rising to 63% of revenue from a 59% rate last year, it's not hard to see what held back profits.

Hot Freight Companies For 2014: Bio-Reference Laboratories Inc.(BRLI)

Bio-Reference Laboratories, Inc. provides clinical laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases primarily in the greater New York metropolitan area. It offers various chemical diagnostic tests, including blood and urine analysis, blood chemistry, hematology services, serology, radio-immuno analysis, toxicology, pap smears, tissue pathology, and other tissue analysis. The company also operates a clinical knowledge management service unit, which uses customer data from laboratory results, pharmaceutical data, claims data, and other data sources to provide administrative and clinical decision support systems. In addition, it operates a Web-based connectivity portal solution for laboratories and physicians to provide laboratory ordering and results to physician customers. The company provides its services directly to physicians, geneticists, hospitals, clinics, and correctional and other health facilities. Bio-Refe rence Laboratories, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Elmwood Park, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Squeeze Ideas]

  Medical Laboratories & Research Industry. Market cap of $621.05M. Short float at 24.02% (equivalent to 25.29 days of average volume).

  Net Income grew by 19.5% ($8.58M vs. $7.18M y/y), while Operating Cash Flow grew by 21.38% ($9.88M vs. $8.14M y/y) (comparing 3 months ending 2010-10-31 vs. 3 months ending 2009-10-31).

  The stock has a relatively low correlation to the market (beta = 0.71), which may be appealing to risk averse investors.

  Other Highlights: Judging by trailing twelve month (TTM) ratios like Return on Equity (ROE), Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Invested Capital (ROI), it's clear that the company's management is doing an excellent job. TTM ROE at 20.49%, higher than the industry average at 17.9%, TTM ROA at 12.68% vs. the industry average at 6.71%, and TTM ROI at 16.16%, higher than the industry average at 11.34%. The company also outperformed its industry competitors in terms of the TTM Return on Sales ratio (6.32% vs. the industry average at 4.52%).

Hot Freight Companies For 2014: First California Financial Group Inc.(FCAL)

First California Financial Group, Inc. operates as the holding company for First California Bank, which provides commercial banking services to individuals, professionals, and small- to mid-sized business in California. Its deposit products comprise non-interest bearing checking, interest checking, savings accounts, time deposits, and money market accounts. The company?s loan portfolio includes revolving lines of credit, term loans, commercial real estate loans, construction loans, consumer and home equity loans, entertainment finance, and small business administration loans. As of March 18, 2010, it operated through 17 full-service branches in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura counties. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California.

Top Penny Companies For 2014: SAP AG(SAP)

SAP AG provides business software primarily in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific Japan region. The company?s products includes SAP Business Suite software, which supports large organizations in their core business operations, such as supplier relationship, production, warehouse management, sales, administration, and customer relationship; SAP Business All-in-One, a business management software that assists midsize companies in managing various business functions, including financials, human resources, procurement, inventory, manufacturing, logistics, product development, sales, and marketing; SAP Business One, a business management application for small businesses; and SAP Business ByDesign, an on-demand solution for integrated business management applications. Its products also comprises SAP BusinessObjects Edge business intelligence and enterprise performance management solutions; Xcelsius, a data visualization software; Crystal Reports, which helps users design interactive reports; Sybase IQ, an optimized analytics server designed to deliver results for business intelligence, analytics, data warehousing, and reporting solutions; SAP solutions for sustainability; and SAP NetWeaver technology platform, which integrates information and business processes across various technologies and organizational structures. In addition, the company offers industry and solution-focused, business transformation, information technology transformation, custom development, and support services; and program, project management, quality assurance, and education and certification services. It sells its products through its subsidiaries and resellers. SAP AG has a strategic relationship with Cap Gemini S.A. to develop and deploy enterprise mobility solutions. The company was formerly known as SAP Aktiengesellschaft Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung. SAP AG was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Walldorf , Germany.