Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014

Here at The Motley Fool, I've long cautioned investors to keep a close eye on inventory levels. It's a part of my standard diligence when searching for the market's best stocks. I think a quarterly checkup can help you spot potential problems. For many companies, products that sit on the shelves too long can become big trouble. Stale inventory may be sold for lower prices, hurting profitability. In extreme cases, it may be written off completely and sent to the shredder.

Basic guidelines
In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Lannett (AMEX: LCI) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Lannett doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, pretty well. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 29.9%, and inventory increased 17.4%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue grew 27.2%, and inventory grew 17.4%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks OK but not great. Revenue grew 6.7%, and inventory grew 7.0%.

Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: Owens Corning Inc(OC)

Owens Corning engages in the provision of composite and building materials systems worldwide. It operates in two segments, Composites and Building Materials. The Composites segment manufactures, fabricates, and sells glass reinforcements in the form of fiber; and manufactures and sells glass fiber products in the form of fabrics, mat, veil, and other specialized products. Its products are used in pipe, roofing shingles, sporting goods, computers, telecommunications cables, boats, aircraft, defense, automotive, industrial containers, and wind-energy applications in the power and energy, housing, water distribution, industrial, transportation, consumer, and aerospace/military markets. This segment sells its products directly to parts molders and fabricators; and glass fiber and/or glass mat directly to shingle manufacturers. The Building Materials segment manufactures and sells fiberglass insulation into residential, commercial, industrial, and other markets for thermal and acoustical applications. It also offers glass fiber pipe insulation, and energy flexible duct media and foam insulation products, such as thermal and acoustical batts, loose fill insulation, foam sheathing, and accessories for use in home construction and remodeling; and manufactures residential roofing shingles and oxidized asphalt materials used in residential and commercial construction and specialty applications. This segment sells its insulation products, and shingles and roofing accessories to insulation installers, home centers, lumberyards, retailers, distributors, and contractors; and asphalt to roofing contractors and distributors for built-up roofing asphalt systems, as well as to manufacturers in the automotive, chemical, rubber, and construction industries. Owens Corning was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Toledo, Ohio.

Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: First Bancorp Inc(ME)

The First Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for The First, N.A., which is a chartered national bank that provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers in coastal Maine. The company offers various deposit products, including demand, savings, NOW, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts. It also provides various loan products, such as commercial real estate, commercial construction, and other commercial loans; municipal loans; residential term and construction loans; home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans. In addition, the company offers private banking, financial planning, investment management, and trust services to individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipalities. It operates a network of 14 full-service banking offices in Lincoln, Knox, Hancock, and Washington Counties located in the mid-coast and down east regions of Maine. The company was formerly known as First National Lincoln Corporation and changed its name to The First Bancorp, Inc. in April 2008. The company was founded in 1864 and is based in Damariscotta, Maine.

Top 5 Performing Companies To Watch In Right Now: Resolute Energy Corporation(REN)

Resolute Energy Corporation, an independent oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, exploitation, and development of oil and gas properties in the United States. It primarily holds interests in the Aneth Field properties that cover approximately 43,000 gross acres on the Navajo Reservation in southeast Utah. The company? producing properties are located in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming; the Bakken shale trend of the Williston Basin in North Dakota; and the Permian Basin of Texas It also owns exploration properties in the Permian Basin of Texas; and the Big Horn and Powder River Basins of Wyoming. As of December 31, 2011, the company had estimated net proved reserves of approximately 64.8 million equivalent barrels of oil. Resolute Energy Corporation is based in Denver, Colorado.

Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: Kimber Resources Inc(KBX)

Kimber Resources Inc., a junior mineral resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold and silver deposits. Its principal property includes the Monterde Property, which consists of 35 mineral concessions totaling approximately 29,296 hectares located in the Sierra Madre mountains of southwestern Chihuahua State. Kimber Resources Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Based in Canada, junior mineral resource company Kimber Resources Inc. (AMEX: KBX) engages in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties, primarily gold and silver deposits in Mexico. Currently, this exploration-stage company is trading on the higher end of its 52-week range of 60 cents to $2.17. Even after pulling back over the last few days, this penny stock is up almost 17% year to date, and 59% in the past 12 months. If you’re looking to add a penny stock to your portfolio, this little mining stock has the ability to bring quick gains your way.

• [By Louis]

  Exploration-stage gold and silver company Kimber Resources Inc. (KBX) has gained 26% year to date, and is up 58% in the past year. At $1.67, this penny stock is worth a close look for potential investors. The stock's 52-week range is 60 cents to $2.17.

Hot Healthcare Equipment Stocks To Watch For 2014: Whinnen Resources Ltd(WWW.AX)

Whitestar Resources Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in South America. The company has a portfolio of copper-gold projects in the Atacama mining region in Chile, as well as holds mineral exploration licenses in Western Australia that are prospective for uranium and lignite. Its principal projects include the Nany-Varas gold project located to the northeast of the city of Copiapo, Chile; the Condor copper property located to the north of Santiago, Chile; the Henry iron oxide copper-gold project located to the southeast of the town of Vallenar, Chile; the Dundee gold property located to the west-northwest of the city of Copiapo, Chile; and the Amigo iron oxide copper-gold project located to the east of the port of Caldera, Chile. The company was formerly known as Whinnen Resources Limited and changed its name to Whitestar Resources Limited in December 2011. Whitestar Resources Limited is based in West P erth, Australia.