Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) continues to amaze. After going on a run of record-breaking days back in the spring, than tanking and losing nearly 5%, the market has once again reversed course and is back to its old ways of setting record highs on a consistent basis. On Monday and Thursday, the Dow set new all-time closing highs, while also setting a new all-time intraday high on Thursday. For the week, the blue-chip index closed higher by 79 points, or 0.51%, and now sits at 15,543. The S&P 500 had a slightly better week, gaining 0.7%, but the Nasdaq lost ground over the past five trading sessions, as it ended the week down 0.34%.

Before we hit the Dow losers, let's look at this week's best performing component. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) increased by 7.03% for the week after the company released strong earnings and got an upgraded price target from UBS. Nearly all of the banks that have reported results up to this point have impressed investors, and Bank of America certainly fell into that category. UBS believes Bank of America can continue to improve earnings if it remains diligent on cost controls. That's a great sign that the company can continue showing strong profits despite whatever pace the economy recovers at.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: LSL PROPERTY SERVICES PLC ORD GBP0.002 WHEN ISSUED(LSL.L)

LSL Property Services plc provides residential property services to private consumers and mortgage lenders in the United Kingdom. It offers estate agency and related services, including the sale and letting of housing; operation of a network of high street branches; provision of repossession asset management services; and sale of mortgages, and life assurance and critical illness policies to insurance companies, lenders, and financial intermediaries. The company also provides surveying services to lenders for residential mortgage purposes; and valuation services to private house purchasers. In addition, it offers panel management and property management services, as well as advice on mortgages and non-investment insurance products. The company operates surveying and valuation business under the e.surv Chartered Surveyors and Barnwoods brands; and estate agency, financial services, and asset management businesses under the Your Move, Reeds Rains, LSLi, Marsh & Parsons, Inte rcounty, Frosts, JNP, Goodfellows, and Davis Tate, as well as LSL Corporate Client Department, St Trinity Asset Management, Templeton LPA, First Complete, The Mortgage Alliance, Pink Home Loans, Linear Financial Services brands. It operates a network of 568 estate agency branches. LSL Property Services plc is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Physicians Formula Holdings Inc.(FACE)

Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. develops, markets, and sells cosmetic and skin care products for the mass market channel. Its cosmetic products include face powders, bronzers, concealers, blushes, foundations, eye shadows, eyeliners, mascaras, and brow makeup; and skin care products comprise cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments. Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. sells its products to various retailers in the food retail, drug chain, mass volume, specialty retail, and wholesale channels in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, El Salvador, and Panama. The company, formerly known as PFI Holdings Corp., was founded in 2003 and is based in Azusa, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:FACE) reported that it has received an unsolicited, nonbinding proposal to acquire all its outstanding shares of common stock at a price of $4.90 per share, subject to several conditions, including the completion of due diligence and securing of financing commitments by the third party who submitted the proposal and the negotiation of a mutually acceptable definitive agreement

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch Right Now: Shaw Communications Inc.(SJR)

Shaw Communications Inc., a diversified communications company, provides broadband cable television, Internet, digital phone, telecommunications, and satellite direct-to-home (DTH) services primarily in Canada and the United States. It offers cable television services, including analog and digital video services with access to HD channels, premium and VOD channels, music channels, and an interactive program guide. The company provides high speed Internet access services to residential and small business subscribers, as well as various Internet services for small and medium sized business customers. Its digital phone services include local and long distance calling, as well as calling features. The company also manages fiber network that serves as the primary Internet backbone for its broadband Internet customers, and provides Internet, data, and voice connectivity services to large and medium businesses, and other organizations. In addition, it distributes digital video an d audio signals to residences and businesses; and redistributes television and radio signals via satellite to cable and other operators, as well as provides uplink and network management services for conventional, specialty, and pay broadcasters on a contract basis. Further, the company provides satellite tracking and messaging services to the trucking industry, as well as integrates and manages satellite data networks with land-based telecommunications; and owns and leases satellite transponders that receive and amplify digital signals and transmit them to receiving dishes located within the footprint covered by the satellite. It serves approximately 3 million customers. The company was formerly known as Capital Cable Television Co. Ltd. Shaw Communications was founded in 1966 and is based in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Springer]

  Shaw Communications (NYSE: SJR) is a diversified Canadian communications and media business. The company provides broadband cable and high-speed Internet services to more than 3.4 million customers and operates one of the largest TV networks in Canada. In the first fiscal quarter of 2013 ended last Novemeber, Shaw's earnings improved 16% to 50 cents a share, compared with the same period the previous year. The company raised its dividend 5% in January 2012. Shaw shares currently yield about 4.5% 

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: Boart Longyear Ltd (BLY.AX)

Boart Longyear Limited provides drilling services, drilling equipment, and performance tooling for mining and drilling companies worldwide. The company operates through two divisions, Global Drilling Services and Global Products. The Drilling Services division provides a range of drilling services, including surface and underground coring, multi-purpose, reverse circulation, conventional air/mud rotary, flooded reverse, directional, sonic, and percussive production drilling to mining companies, energy companies, water utilities, environmental and geotechnical engineering firms, government agencies, and other mining services companies. This division provides drilling services for the exploration, development, and production of copper, gold, iron ore, nickel, and other metals and minerals. It conducts drilling services in approximately 40 countries in North America, South America, Asia, the Pacific Rim, Europe, and Africa. The Global Products division designs, manufactures, and sells drilling equipments and tooling. This division offers drilling equipment, drill rods, diamond bits, wireline core extraction systems, reverse circulation pipe and accessories, overburden tooling, pneumatic rock drills, rock drilling rods, and bits for various industries, such as mineral exploration, mining, energy, environmental sampling, and remediation, as well as infrastructure reinforcement and development. It provides mining products in approximately 100 countries. Boart Longyear Limited is headquartered in South Jordan, Utah.

Best Performing Companies To Watch For 2014: KSK POWER VENTUR PLC ORD GBP0.001(KSK.L)

KSK Power Ventur plc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, operation, and maintenance of power generation assets primarily in India. The company develops and operates coal, gas, and lignite based power plants, as well as hydro electric power plants and wind farms. It has an operating capacity of approximately 933 mega watts. The company is also involved in identification, acquisition, development, beneficiation, and trading of coal and lignite reserves. In addition, it acts as an investment manager to third party funds for investments in energy businesses. KSK Power Ventur plc was founded in 1998 and is based in Douglas, the United Kingdom.