Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks For 2014

What sort of qualities do you look for in a business when investing?

I�� not talking about a stock and its momentum, or volume or relation to its 52-week high. I�� also not talking about your perception of the company as a consumer��ts ads, its products and so forth. I�� talking about its business. What traits do you want in a business in which you invest?

It�� a key question; after all, most of history�� greatest investors��eople like Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham and Joel Greenblatt��ave looked at stocks not as pieces of paper but instead as pieces of a business. They realized that, while anything can happen in the short term, over time a stock�� price will come to reflect the strength (or weakness) of its underlying business.

For me, a couple key, broad traits come to mind. First, I want to know that a business has a track record of efficiently using the money I and/or other investors have given it to generate as much in profits as it can. Second, I want to know that, when possible and appropriate, the company has a track record of returning some of those profits to investors.

Top 5 Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Acorn Energy Inc.(ACFN)

Acorn Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides technology driven solutions for energy infrastructure asset management worldwide. It offers sonar and acoustic related solutions for energy, defense, and commercial markets with a focus on underwater site security for strategic energy installations and other acoustic systems, as well as develops and produces real-time embedded hardware and software. The company also develops and markets remote monitoring systems to electric utilities and industrial facilities, which are used in a range of utility applications, including outage management, power quality monitoring, system planning, trouble shooting and proactive maintenance, and condition monitoring; and provides the intelligence to transmission and distribution network operators. In addition, it develops and produces fiber optic sensing systems for the energy, commercial security, and defense markets. The company?s patented ultra-high sensitivity fiber optic sensors a re designed to replace electronic sensors with fiber optic sensors. Further, it engages in the design, manufacture, marketing, and sale of wireless remote systems that monitor standby power generation, backup power generators, remote powered equipment, cellular towers, emergency towered communications, and remote tower sites; cathodic protection products to monitor pipeline integrity; and other wireless remote systems. Acorn Energy, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is based in Montchanin, Delaware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  A technology stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Acorn Energy (ACFN), which provides digital solutions for energy infrastructure asset management. This stock has been hit hard by the sellers in 2013, with shares off sharply by 48%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Acorn Energy, you'll notice that this stock has started to spike higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $3.66 a share. This stock has also found significant buying interest over the last two months, each time it has pulled back to around $3.50 to $3.20 a share. Shares of ACFN are now quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ACFN if it manages to break out above some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.24 to $4.64 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 344,835 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ACFN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.50 to $6 a share. Any high-volume move above $6 will then put its next major overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $6.35 to $6.68 a share into range for shares of ACFN.

  Traders can look to buy ACFN off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $3.66 a share, or right around some major support at $3.21 a share. One could also buy ACFN off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Neither Acorn Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:ACFN) nor Cardica, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRDC) may look all that compelling with just a passing glance. The longer one examines CRDC and ACFN, however - and really gets a grasp of their underlying stories - the more compelling each one becomes. In fact, newcomers may want to go ahead and put both budding stocks on their watchlists, if not in their portfolios.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks For 2014: Tile Shop Holdings Inc (TTS)

Tile Shop Holdings, Inc., incorporated on June 21, 2012, is a specialty retailer of manufactured and natural stone tiles, setting and maintenance materials, and related accessories in the United States. The Company sells over 4,500 products from around the world, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stainless steel manufactured tiles and, marble, granite, quartz, sandstone, travertine, slate, and onyx natural tiles. It purchases its tile products and accessories directly from producers. The Company manufactures its own setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout, and sealers under its brand name. The Company operates 70 stores in 22 states, with an average size of 23,000 square feet. It also sells its products on its Website. In January 2014 Tile Shop Holdings Inc launched its first retail store in Oklahoma City.

The Company offers a complete assortment of tile products, generally sourced directly from producers, including ceramic, porcelain, glass, and stainless steel manufactured tiles, and marble, granite, quartz, sandstone, travertine, slate, and onyx natural tiles. The Company also offers a range of setting and maintenance materials, such as thinset, grout and sealers, and accessories, including installation tools, shower and bath caddies, drains, and similar products.

The Company competes with Home Depot, Tile America, World of Tile, Century Tile, and Floor and Decor, Dal-Tile and Florida Tile.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Stocks on the Move: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Co. (NASDAQ: HMHC) is up 32.2% at $15.86 after its IPO today. Tile Shop Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: TTS) is down 39% at $12.95 following a short seller�� claim that profits were overstated. Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) is down 5.4% at $25.07 after halting sales of its Chromebook laptop due to an overheating charger problem.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks For 2014: Technip (TEC)

Technip, formerly known as Technip SA, is a France-based company that is engaged in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry, and holds a portfolio of solutions and technologies. The Company operates in three segments: Subsea, Onshore and Offshore. Its main markets include onshore plants, offshore platforms and subsea construction. The Company is present in around 48 countries, and had industrial assets on continents and operates a fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. It operates several subsidiaries, such as AETech, EPD, Subocean group and Front End Re, among others. On August 31, 2012, the Company announced the completion of the Stone & Webster process technologies and associated oil and gas engineering capabilities acquisition from The Shaw Group Inc. In March 13, 2013, it acquired Ingenium AS, an offshore engineering and services company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Technip SA (TEC) sank 15 percent, its biggest weekly retreat in more than two years after third-quarter profit missed the average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. The oilfield-services provider also cut full-year forecasts for the operating margin and sales at its subsea unit, meaning total sales will miss an earlier target of as much as 9.5 billion euros.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks For 2014: DST Systems Inc. (DST)

DST Systems, Inc. provides information processing and software services and products. The company operates in two segments, Financial Services and Customer Communications. The Financial Services segment offers various solutions primarily to the asset management, brokerage, retirement, insurance, and healthcare industries. It provides proprietary software systems, including shareowner recordkeeping and distribution support systems for the United States and international mutual fund companies, broker/dealers, and financial advisors; and a defined-contribution participant recordkeeping system for the United States retirement plan market. This segment also offers investment management systems for the United States and international investment managers and fund accountants; a business process management and customer contact system for various industries; and medical and pharmacy claims administration processing systems and services for providers of healthcare plans, third party administrators, medical practice groups, and pharmacy benefit managers. The Customer Communications Segment helps businesses deploy customer communications while improving operational performance across critical business functions, such as sales, marketing, customer service, technology, finance, operations, and compliance. This segment helps clients deliver information in the desired combination of print, digital, and archival formats. Its product offering combines data insights and analysis with business decision-making tools, and multi-channel execution and delivery designed to help businesses acquire, grow, retain, and win back customers. The company also owns and operates real estate properties, as well as has investments in equity securities, private equity funds, and other financial interests. It has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and internationally. DST Systems, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri.< /p> Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Data center operator DST Systems (NYSE: DST  ) will pay a second-quarter dividend of $0.30 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after switching from a semiannual payout schedule to a quarterly one, the company announced yesterday.