Hot High Tech Stocks For 2015

Arena Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: ARNA  ) shareholders -- and those who short the stock, for that matter -- are anxiously awaiting the launch of the company's obesity drug Belviq. The Food and Drug Administration approved the drug back in June, but the biotech and its marketing partner Eisai can't launch until the Drug Enforcement Agency decides its potential for abuse.

Meanwhile, Arena isn't sitting around doing nothing. Earlier this month, the company said it's starting a phase 1 trial testing a new drug, APD334, in healthy adult volunteers. A phase 1 trial isn't going to produce data that will move the share price, but it's a necessary step toward that end.

APD334 targets the sphingosine 1-phosphate subtype 1 receptor, which is involved in numerous autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis. All three diseases are large markets with multiple blockbuster drugs treating them. Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB  ) , for instance, has two multiple sclerosis drugs -- Avonex and Tysabri -- that are both blockbusters. AbbVie's (NYSE: ABBV  ) Humira, which treats both psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, posted sales of more than $9.2 billion last year.

Hot High Tech Stocks For 2015: First Connecticut Bancorp Inc (FBNK)

First Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. (FCB) is a stock holding company. FCB has been formed in connection with the conversion of First Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. a mutual holding company (MHC), from the mutual to the stock form of organization. As of December 31, 2009, MHC owned all of the outstanding stock of Farmington Bank, a savings bank. The MHC will cease to exist as a result of the conversion, and FCB will own all of the common stock of Farmington Bank. As of December 31, 2009, FCB was not engaged in any business. Farmington Bank is a full-service, community bank with 15 full-service branch offices and four limited service offices, including its main office, located throughout Hartford County, Connecticut.

Farmington Bank provides a diverse range of commercial and consumer services to businesses, individuals and governments across Central Connecticut. Farmington Bank provides a range of banking services to businesses, individuals and governments in Central Connecticut. It also offers a range of residential mortgage loan services. Farmington Bank�� subsidiaries include Farmington Savings Loan Servicing, Inc., Village Investments, Inc., Village Corp., Limited, 28 Main Street Corp., Village Management Corp. and Village Square Holdings Inc.

Farmington Savings Loan Servicing, Inc. operates as Farmington Bank�� passive investment company (PIC). Village Investments, Inc. offers brokerage and investment advisory services through a contract with Infinex Financial Services, a registered broker-dealer. Village Corp., Limited was established to hold certain commercial real estate acquired through foreclosures, deeds in lieu of foreclosure, or other similar means. Village Square Holdings, Inc. holds certain commercial real estate of Farmington Bank, formerly used as Farmington Bank�� operations center prior to its relocation to One Farm Glen Boulevard, Farmington, Connecticut. As of December 31, 2009, 28 Main Street Corp and Village Management Corp were inactive.

Len! ding Activities

Farmington Bank�� primary lending activities consists of the origination of one-to-four family residential real estate loans that are primarily secured by properties located in Hartford County and surrounding counties in Connecticut. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Bank originated $75.8 million of fixed-rate one-to-four family residential loans. The Bank also offers adjustable-rate mortgage loans for one-to-four family properties, with an interest rate that adjusts annually based on the one-year Constant Maturity Treasury Bill Index, after a one, three, four, five, seven or nine-year initial fixed-rate period. Its adjustable rate mortgage loans generally provide for maximum rate adjustments of 200 basis points per adjustment, with a lifetime maximum adjustment up to 6%, regardless of the initial rate. Its adjustable rate mortgage loans amortize over terms of up to 30 years. During 2009, it originated $49.2 million adjustable rate one-to-four family residential loans and purchased $33 million adjustable rate mortgages.

Farmington Bank originates commercial real estate loans and loans on owner-occupied properties used for a variety of business purposes, including office buildings, industrial and warehouse facilities and retail facilities. As of December 31, 2009, the Bank�� owner-occupied commercial mortgage loans constituted the largest portion of its commercial real estate portfolio. During 2009, commercial mortgage loans totaled $265.5 million and owner-occupied commercial real estate loans totaled $133.3 million of its commercial real estate portfolio.

Farmington Bank offers construction loans, including commercial construction loans and real estate subdivision development loans, to developers, licensed contractors and builders for the construction and development of commercial real estate projects and residential properties. During 2009, the Bank�� loans outstanding, including commercial and residential, totaled $68.7 million! . The Ban! k also originates construction loans to individuals and contractors for the construction and acquisition of personal residences.

Farmington Bank�� commercial business loan portfolio comprises both middle market companies and small businesses located primarily in Connecticut. Farmington Bank�� Resort (Timeshare) Loans include receivables loans, pre-sale loans, inventory loans, acquisition and development loans, and homeowner association loans. During 2009, its timeshare loans totaled $82.8 million. Farmington Bank also offers home equity loans and home equity lines of credit, both of which are secured by owner-occupied one-to-four family residences. At December 31, 2009, home equity loans and equity lines of credit totaled $66.7 million.

Farmington Bank also offers various types of consumer loans, including installment, demand, revolving credit and collateral loans, principally to customers residing in its primary market area with acceptable credit ratings. Its installment and collateral consumer loans generally consist of loans on new and used automobiles, loans collateralized by deposit accounts and unsecured personal loans.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  First Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:FBNK) reported that its Board of Directors has voted to pay a cash dividend in the amount of $0.03 per share on June 14, 2012 to all shareholders of record as of June 4, 2012.

Hot High Tech Stocks For 2015: Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc.(SKT)

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company, through its subsidiary, Tanger Properties Limited Partnership, engages in acquiring, developing, owning, operating, and managing factory outlet shopping centers. As of September 30, 2005, Tanger owned and operated 33 factory outlet centers in 22 states totaling 8.7 million square feet of gross leasable area. It also provides development, leasing, and management services for its outlet centers. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to Federal income taxes provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers was founded by Stanley K. Tanger in 1981. The company is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Shopping center REIT�Tanger Factory Outlet Centers� (NYSE: SKT  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.225 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after raising the payout 7%, from $0.21 per share.

• [By Brad Thomas]

  REITs mentioned: (VTR), (OHI), (O), (DLR), (HCP), (HTA), (KIM), (FRT), (SPG), and (SKT).

  Note: This article is intended to provide information to interested parties. As I have no knowledge of individual investor circumstances, goals, and/or portfolio concentration or diversification, readers are expected to complete their own due diligence before purchasing any stocks mentioned or recommended.

Top 5 Transportation Companies To Invest In 2015: Exide Technologies (XIDEQ)

Exide Technologies, incorporated on November 23, 1966, is engaged in stored electrical energy solutions, and is a manufacturer and supplier of lead-acid batteries for transportation and industrial applications in the worldwide. Exide operates in four business segments: Transportation Americas, Transportation Europe and ROW, Industrial Energy Americas, and Industrial Energy Europe and ROW. The Company�� operations in the Americas as well as Europe and Rest of World (ROW) represented approximately 42% and 58%, respectively, during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013 (fiscal 2013), net sales.

Transportation

The Company�� transportation batteries include starting lighting and ignition (SLI) batteries for cars, trucks, off-road vehicles, agricultural and construction vehicles, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, marine, and other applications including Micro-hybrids. The Company�� principal batteries sold in the transportation markets are represented by brands: Exide, Exide Extreme, Exide NASCAR Select, Centra, DETA, Orbital, Fulmen, and Tudor, as well as other brands under various private labels. The market for transportation batteries is divided between sales to aftermarket customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Transportation segments represented approximately 61% of the Company�� net sales in fiscal 2013. Within the transportation segments, aftermarket and OEM net sales, including original equipment service (OES) represented approximately 72.1% and 27.9% of fiscal 2013 net sales, respectively.

Some of the Company�� aftermarket customers include Pep Boys, Bosch, Tractor Supply, Canadian Tire, ADI, ATR International, and GroupAuto International. In addition, the Company is also a supplier of authorized replacement batteries for OEMs including the BMW Group, Fiat Group, Honda, Iveco, John Deere, PSA Group, Scania, Volvo Trucks, Toyota, Volkswagen Group, Renault-Nissan, PACCAR, and many others. Some of the Company�� OEM customers include t! he BMW Group, Fiat Group, International Truck & Engine, the PSA group (Peugeot S.A./Citroen), Case/New Holland, John Deere, Renault, Nissan, Scania, Volvo Trucks, Volkswagen Group, Chrysler, Toyota, Jaguar, Land Rover, among others.

In the Americas, the Company sells aftermarket transportation products through various distribution channels, including mass merchandisers, auto parts outlets, wholesale distributors, and battery specialists. The Company sells its OEM transportation replacement products principally through dealer networks. The Company�� Americas operations include a network of 74 branches which sell and distribute batteries and other products to the Company�� distributor channel customers, battery specialists, national account customers, retail stores, and OEM dealers. In addition, these branches collect spent batteries for the Company�� recycling facilities. These operations supply recycled lead for approximately 75 to 80% of Exide�� Transportation and Industrial Energy products manufactured in North America. The recycling facilities also recover and recycle battery acid as well as plastic materials that are used to produce new battery covers and cases.

In Europe and ROW, the Company sells OEM batteries to the light vehicle, light commercial vehicle and commercial vehicle industries. The commercial vehicle industry includes truck manufacturers as well as construction and agriculture vehicle manufacturers. Exide supplies its OEM batteries directly to the assembly plants of its customers. The Company also delivers service and replacement batteries into this segment. Those are either distributed by the OEM customers themselves or delivered directly to the service points through the Exide logistics network. The Company also supplies advanced lead-acid batteries for microhybrid vehicles equipped with carbon dioxide reducing technologies such as Start & Stop with and without regenerative braking systems. It sells Europe and ROW aftermarket batteries primarily th! rough aut! omotive parts and battery wholesalers, mass-merchandisers, auto centers, service installers, and oil companies. Battery specialists sell and distribute batteries to a network of automotive parts retailers, service stations, independent retailers, and garages throughout Europe.

The Company competes with Johnson Controls, Inc. and East Penn Manufacturing.

Industrial Energy

The Company�� Industrial Energy segments supply both motive power and network power applications. Motive power batteries are used in the material handling industry for electric forklift trucks, and in other industries, including floor cleaning machinery, powered wheelchairs, railroad locomotives, mining, and the electric road vehicles market. The battery technologies for the motive power markets include flooded flat plate products, tubular plate products, absorbed glass mat (AGM) products, and gel electrolyte products. The Company also offers a complete range of battery chargers and related equipment for the operation and maintenance of battery-powered vehicles. Network power batteries are used to provide back-up power for use with telecommunications systems, computer installations or data centers, hospitals, air traffic control systems, security systems, utilities, railway and military applications. Telecommunications applications include central and local switching systems, satellite stations, wireless base stations and mobile switches, optical fiber repeating boxes, cable television transmission boxes, and radio transmission stations. The Company�� strongest network power battery brands, Absolyte and Sonnenschein, offer customers the choice of AGM or gel electrolyte valve regulated battery technologies and deliver among the highest energy and power densities in their class.

In the Americas, the Company distributes motive power products and services through multiple channels. These include sales and service locations owned by the Company that are augmented by a network of indep! endent ma! nufacturers��representatives. The Company serves a wide range of customers including OEM suppliers of lift trucks, industrial companies, retail distributors, warehousing companies, and manufacturers. Motive power customers in the Americas include Toyota, MCFA, NACCO, Sears, Toyota, Walmart, and Target. The Company distributes network power products and services through sales and service locations owned by the Company augmented by a network of independent manufacturers��representatives. The Company�� primary network power customers in the Americas include AT&T, APC, Emerson Electric, and Verizon Wireless.

The Company distributes motive power products and services in Europe through in-house sales and service organizations and utilizes distributors and agents for the export of products from Europe to ROW countries. Motive power products in Europe are also sold to a wide range of customers in the aftermarket, ranging from industrial companies and retail distributors to small warehousing and manufacturing operations. Motive power batteries are also sold in complete packages, including batteries, chargers, and increasingly through on-site service. The Company�� OEM motive power customers include Toyota Material Handling, the KION Group, and Jungheinrich. The Company distributes network power products and services in Europe and batteries and chargers in Australia and New Zealand through in-house sales and service organizations. In Asia, products are distributed through independent distributors. The Company utilizes distributors, agents, and direct sales to export products from Europe and North America to ROW. The Company�� primary Network Power customers in Europe and ROW include Deutsche Telecom, Alcatel, Emerson Electric, Ericsson and Siemens Nokia Networks.

The Company competes with EnerSys Inc., East Penn Manufacturing, Hoppecke, MIDAC, GS/Yuasa, Shinkobe and C&D Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  A real car wreck on the horizon
  Already crashing and burning was lead-acid battery maker Exide Technologies (NASDAQOTH: XIDEQ  ) , which confirmed it had hired a restructuring specialist to help it cope with is financial situation ahead of some of its debt maturing this fall. It's shares fell almost 48% on the news.

Hot High Tech Stocks For 2015: IPC The Hospitalist Company Inc.(IPCM)

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides hospitalist services in the United States. It engages in providing, managing, and coordinating the care of hospitalized patients and serves as the inpatient partner of primary care physicians and specialists. As of December 31, 2011, the company with its 1,201 affiliated hospitalists, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants that are organized into medical group practices, provided hospitalist solutions at approximately 365 hospitals, and 550 other inpatient and post-acute care facilities primarily in 25 states. It also offers administrative and professional services, including information management system, transition management, regional management, recruiting, training, financial reporting, billing and collection, risk management, and compliance services to affiliated hospitalists. The company serves patients, primary care physicians, specialists, acute care hospitals, alter native sites of inpatient care, and health plans. IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., formerly known as InPatient Consultants Management, Inc., was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in North Hollywood, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of IPC The Hospitalist Company (NASDAQ: IPCM) were down 2.60 percent to $56.98 after Credit Suisse downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral.

Hot High Tech Stocks For 2015: Associated Estates Realty Corp (AEC)

Associated Estates Realty Corporation (AEC), incorporated on July 29, 1993, is an integrated, self-administered and self-managed equity real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio consisted of 52 properties containing 13,950 units located in 10 states. The Company operates in one segment: multifamily properties. The Company is focused on multifamily ownership, operation, acquisition, development, construction, disposition and property management activities. Its multifamily properties provided approximately 99.4% of its consolidated revenue. In 2012, the Company acquired four properties. Three of the properties, totaling 760 units, are located in the Raleigh/Durham submarket and the fourth is a 396-unit property located in Dallas, Texas. In addition, in 2012, it acquired land for development of an apartment community in Los Angeles, California that also includes a building containing approximately 78,800 total square feet of office and retail space. In 2012, it sold six properties containing 1,356 units, one in Georgia, one in Central Ohio and four in Western Michigan. During the three years ended December 31, 2012, it acquired 11 multifamily properties.

The Company�� primary source of income is rental revenue. The Company�� subsidiary, Merit Enterprises, Inc. (Merit), is a general contractor and construction manager, which acts as its in-house construction division. In March 2012, the partnership acquired a 2.5 acre parcel of land in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sally Jones]

  Associated Estates Realty Corp. (AEC) - Yield 4.90

  Associated Estates Realty Corp. is up 1% over 12 months. The company has a market cap of $764.39 million; it trades with a P/E ratio of 16.60 and P/S ratio of 4.10.