10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014

For the second day in a row, international currency moves had a huge impact on the stock market. With the Japanese yen having broken above the 100 yen-per-dollar mark yesterday, the dollar continued its advance against Japan's currency again today, gaining another 1%. The news sent Japanese stocks soaring, commodities like gold and oil falling, and bond prices plunging. But for U.S. stock market investors, the news had a much less dramatic effect, with the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) finishing with a gain of about 36 points, while the broader market posted slightly stronger gains.

Looking at the largest gainers in the Dow, two companies stood out for very different reasons. On one hand, UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH  ) rose about 1.4%. Despite having no substantial news to justify the gains, UnitedHealth has benefited from increasing clarity about the impact of Obamacare on its revenue and earnings going forward. Moreover, as the market has soared, UnitedHealth's relatively low earnings multiple of just 12 looks increasingly attractive, especially in comparison to much higher-priced consumer stocks and other more traditional defensive plays.

Top Mid Cap Companies To Watch For 2015: Latteno Food Corp (LATF)

Latteno Food Corp. (Latteno), incorporated on August 24, 1994, is engaged in acquiring, organizing, developing and upgrading companies in the international food and beverage market. Latteno is specializing in the dairy industry and coffee industry. The Company operates through its subsidiary in Brazil. On February 10, 2010 Latteno acquired Global Milk Businesses and Administration of Private Properties Ltda. (Global Milk). Global Milk holds the rights of certain intellectual property of the brand name products manufactured and sold under the brand name Teixeira. In March 2013, the Company acquired Green Cannabis Collective Inc.

Latteno is leasing an instant and roasted coffee factory located in Cruzeiro, Sao-Paulo, which was property the Company previously owned under its BDFC Brasil Alimentos Ltda (BDFC) subsidiary. In addition to the lease, the Company has maintained ownership of four brand names, Samba Cafe, Vivenda, Torino and Brazilian Best, used in the past by Latteno to sell its instant and roasted coffee across the world. The Company engaged the service companies to assist with its operations, such as Log-Frio Ltda, SigaSolutions Ltda, Microsiga Ltda and Varistao Transportes Ltda.

The Company competes with Nestle, Companhia Cacique de Cafe Soluvel, Cafe Soluvel Brasilia and Companhia lguacu de Cafe Soluvel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  What do you get when you cross a Coffee Holding Co., Inc. (NASDAQ:JVA) with a Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) and a Kraft Foods Group Inc. (NASDAQ:KRFT)? No, it's not a setup for a punch line - there's a legitimate answer. And that answer is, Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF).

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: Nyxio Technologies Corp (NYXO)

Nyxio Technologies Corporation, incorporated on June 08, 2006, through its wholly owned subsidiary Nyxio Technologies Inc. (Nyxio), develop and provide technology for the entertainment and commercial markets within the consumer electronic industry. The Company�� product includes VioSphere Smart television (TV), a flat screen TV with a fully integrated personal computer.

The Realm is an all in one personal computer (PC)/ TV, combining the latest in PC technology with high definition (HD) TV. The Realm Pro, which is all in One PC/TV geared for commercial and digital signage markets. Venture MMV, which is a mobile media viewer is a new class of video eyewear offering designer styling in a sleek ergonomic design with features and performance. The Vuzion is a TV with Android operating system (OS) built in enabling 400,000 Android applications on a TV.

The Company competes with Sony, Samsung, LG, Vizio, Apple, Dell, and HP.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Nyxio Technologies Corp (OTCMKTS: NYXO), COREwafer Industries Inc (OTCMKTS: WAFR) and NanoTech Entertainment, Inc (OTCMKTS: NTEK) are three small cap stocks in some very diverse industries. In fact, one of these stocks just bought a 3D ice sculpture business. So will investors see their investment melt with that small cap stock�along with the other two? Here is a closer look to help you decide for yourself:��

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sonova Holding AG (SOON)

Sonova Holding AG is a Switzerland-based company operating in the healthcare sector. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, specializes in the design, development, manufacture, worldwide distribution and service of technologically advanced hearing systems for adults and children with hearing impairment. The Company is active in two operating segments: the Hearing instruments segment includes the companies that are active in the design, development, manufacture, distribution and service of hearing instruments and related products, and the Cochlear implants segment includes the companies that are active in the design, development, manufacture, distribution and service of hearing implants and related products. The Company operates worldwide and distributes its products in over 90 countries through its own distribution network and through independent distributors. Sonova Holding AG is the holding company of the Sonova Group. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  ThyssenKrupp AG slid to a 10-week low after raising 882.3 million euros ($1.2 billion) through a share sale. Antofagasta Plc led a measure of mining companies to a seven-week low. Sonova Holding AG (SOON) declined 1.5 percent as Morgan Stanley cut its rating on the Swiss hearing-aid maker. Orange SA slipped 3.4 percent amid concern a price war in the French mobile market will extend to fourth-generation data services.

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Sonova (SOON) advanced 6.9 percent to 126.50 Swiss francs after predicting that annual earnings before interest, taxes and amortization would grow as much as 14 percent, compared with a previous forecast of 9 percent to 13 percent. Sales will increase 8 percent to 10 percent, up from an earlier projection of 6 percent to 8 percent.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: Technip (TKPPY)

Technip SA (Technip), incorporated on April 21, 1958, is a holding company. Technip is engaged in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry, and holds a portfolio of solutions and technologies. The Company operates in two segments: Subsea, and Onshore/Offshore. Its main markets include onshore plants, offshore platforms and subsea construction. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was present in 48 countries, and had industrial assets on continents and operates a fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. As of February 29, 2012, its production facilities (for flexible pipes and umbilicals), manufacturing yards and spoolbases were located in Angola, Brazil, France, the United States, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Norway and the United Kingdom. As of December 31, 2011, its fleet consisted of 34 vessels in subsea rigid and flexible pipelines, subsea construction and diving support, four of which were under construction. Technip operates in seven regions, which include Middle East, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa. 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.

On December 1, 2011, Technip acquired 100% of the shares of Global Industries, Ltd (Global Industries). On November 14, 2011, Technip acquired 45.70% of Cybernetix S.A. On July 28, 2011, Technip acquired 100% of AETech. On February 28, 2011, Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants Ltd, a subsidiary of the Company, acquired EPD. On January 26, 2011, Technip acquired all of the assets of the Subocean group, a United Kingdom-based subsea cable-installation company engaged in marine renewable energies. On January 24, 2011, Technip acquired Front End Re, a reinsurance company.

Technip provides integrated design, engineering, manufacturing and installation services for infrastructures and subsea pipe systems! used in oil and gas production and transportation. With respect to hydrocarbon field development, Technip�� subsea operations include the design, manufacture and installation of rigid and flexible subsea pipelines, as well as umbilicals. The Company offers a range of subsea pipe technologies and solutions, and holds industrial and operational assets. As of December 31, 2011, Technip had three flexible pipe manufacturing plants, four umbilical production units, four reeled rigid pipe spoolbases and a evolving fleet of vessels for pipeline installation and subsea construction. The Company�� services include the turnkey delivery of these subsea systems, particularly, offshore work (pipelay and subsea construction) and the manufacture of critical equipment, such as umbilicals and flexible pipes.

Technip also handles the supply of other subsea equipment and the procurement of rigid pipes that the Company acquires from third parties on an international bid. In addition, to the engineering and installation of systems, Subsea activities also include the maintenance and repair of existing subsea infrastructures and the replacement or removal of subsea equipment. Technip performs the engineering and manufacturing of the flexible pipes. Its flexible pipes engineering centers are in Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Oslo, Aberdeen, Kuala Lumpur, Perth and Houston. It has manufacturing units in Vitoria (Brazil), in Le Trait (France) and it has Asiaflex Products center in Johor Bahru (Malaysia). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Technip initiated the fabrication of a second flexible plant in Brazil, within the Porto do Acu development.

The Company is engaged in engineering and construction for the range of onshore facilities for the oil and gas industry, including refining, hydrogen, gas treatment and liquefaction, ethylene and petrochemicals, onshore pipelines, as well as non-oil facilities, including mining and metallurgical projects, biofuels, wind offshore and renewable energy. Techni! p holds s! everal technologies and it designs and constructs of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and gas treatment plants. The Company also designs and builds infrastructures related to hydrogen production units, electricity units and sulfur recovery units, as well as storage units. It designs and builds types of facilities for the development of onshore oil and gas fields, from wellheads to processing facilities and product export systems. In addition to participating in the development of onshore fields, Technip also renovates existing facilities. Technip builds pipeline systems chiefly for natural gas, crude oil and oil products, water and liquid sulfur.

Technip offers a range of services to clients who wish to produce, process, fractionate and market the products of natural gas. The majority of business conducted pertains to the liquefaction of methane. Services provided by Technip to its customers range from feasibility studies to construction of entire industrial complexes. The Company manages aspects of projects from the preparation of feasibility studies to the design, construction and start-up of complex refineries or single refinery units. In 2011, Technip had been engaged in developing its footprint in the fast growing renewable energies market. Technip also offers its engineering and construction services to industries other than oil and gas, principally to mining and metal companies. As of February 29, 2012, its clients included oil companies, such as BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell, Statoil and Total, and number of national companies, such as ADNOC, PDVSA, Petrobras, Petronas, Qatar Petroleum, Saudi Aramco and Sonatrach, as well as independent companies, such as Anadarko.

Technip designs, manufactures and installs fixed and floating platforms that support surface facilities for the drilling, production and processing of oil and gas reserves located in offshore shallow water fields, as well as deep water fields. Technip is also builds complex facilities, including ! the float! ing production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units and floating LNG (FLNG). Fixed platforms include topsides supported by conventional jackets, gravity base structure (GBSs) and the TPG 500 (a jack-up production platform). Floating platforms include topsides supported by Spars, tension leg platforms (TLPs), semi-submersibles, as well as solutions, such as the extendable draft platform (EDP). In addition, Technip owns technologies for installing topsides using the floatover method for fixed and floating platforms. During 2011, in the North Sea area, Technip started engineering on Statoil�� Valemon project in the Norwegian sector.

The Company competes with Subsea 7, Aker Solutions, Allseas, Heerema, Helix, McDermott, Saipem, Sapura-Clough, NKT-Flexibles, Prysmian, Nexans, Oceaneering, Wellstream, Bechtel, CB&I, Fluor, Foster Wheeler, Jacobs, KBR, Chiyoda, JGC, Toyo, Petrofac, Saipem, Tecnicas Reunidas, GS, Samsung Engineering, SK, Aker Solutions, Hyundai, Daewoo, Samsung Heavy Industry, SBM and Modec.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Rooney]

  Political risks lurk: The big risk for Europe's recovery remains an escalation in the dispute with Russia over Ukraine. EU officials are due to present options for much tougher sanctions Thursday, including measures that could restrict Russia's access to European financial markets, as well as arms and energy technology. France's Technip (TKPPY) said sanctions may hurt its profit margins this year.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: Guar Global Ltd (GGBL)

Guar Global Ltd., formerly ERE Management, Inc., incorporated on May 29, 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company focuses on developing its content management system (CMS) software product. It has developed a basic version of the CMS software, which enables real estate agents with no technical knowledge to easily build a Website to showcase their listings.

The Company's product is designed to include an administration page that allows the entry of mega tags and keywords to enhance search engine hits, and a set of tools to enhance Websites by enabling the creation of various Website sections, such as a contact us contact information page; an our team description of agents page, and a mortgage calculator. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010, the Company did not generate any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap OTC stocks Sovereign Lithium Inc (OTCMKTS: SLCO), Life Stem Genetics Inc (OTCMKTS: LIFS), Nevada Gold Corp (OTCMKTS: NVGC), Guar Global Ltd (OTCMKTS: GGBL) and Makism 3D Corp (OTCMKTS: MDDD) all saw their trading halted late last year by the SEC, but now all of these stocks are trading again. So what's going on and why the sudden crackdown? First, here is a quick look at what happened to the following five small cap stocks:

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: H&R Block Inc. (HRB)

H&R Block, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides tax preparation, retail banking, and various business advisory and consulting services. It operates in three segments: Tax Services, Business Services, and Corporate. The Tax Services segment offers H&R Block At Home, an income tax preparation software, as well as a range of online tax services, including tax advice, professional and do-it-yourself tax return preparation, and electronic filing services through its Web site at hrblock.com primarily in the United States, Canada, and Australia. This segment also provides the H&R Block Prepaid Emerald MasterCard and Emerald Advance lines of credit through H&R Block Bank, as well as other retail banking services, including checking and savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, and certificates of deposit; and sells refund anticipation loans and refund anticipation checks offered by third-party lending institutions, as well as offers income tax return preparation course s to the public. The Business Services segment provides tax and consulting services, wealth management, and capital markets services to middle-market companies. The Corporate segment engages in various operations, which include interest income from the United States passive investments, interest expense on borrowings, net interest margin and gains or losses relating to mortgage loans held for investment, real estate owned, residual interests in securitizations and other corporate expenses principally related to finance, legal, and other support departments. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Lewis]

  For H&R Block (NYSE: HRB  ) , taxes aren't a pain, they're the livelihood for more than 10,000 storefronts and nearly 100,000 tax preparers. But is that going to change in coming times? The company is the world's largest provider of affordable tax and personal finance services. With the rise of nearly costless online tax services, what incentive is there for price-conscious tax filers to visit their local H&R Block? Let's take a look at recent earnings and evaluate the business to determine if this is a company headed toward trouble.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  H&R Block (NYSE: HRB  ) will release its quarterly report on Tuesday, and as you'd expect outside of tax season, the tax-preparation company will almost certainly post a sizable loss. But the bigger question investors want answered is whether H&R Block can meet the long-term threat of Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU  ) and its TurboTax software on one end, as well as the live tax-preparation competition of JTH Holdings' (NASDAQ: TAX  ) and its Liberty Tax Service chain.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In 2014: Groupon Inc (GRPN)

Groupon, Inc. (Groupon) is a local e-commerce marketplace that connects merchants to consumers by offering goods and services at a discount. Each day the Company e-mails its subscribers discounted offers for goods and services that are targeted by location and personal preferences. Consumers also access its deals directly through its Websites and mobile applications. The Company operates in two segments: North America, which represents the United States and Canada; and International, which represents the rest of its global operations. Customers purchase Groupons from the Company and redeem them with its merchants. As of September 30, 2011, the Company featured deals from over 190,000 merchants worldwide across over 190 categories of goods and services. Groupon primarily addresses the worldwide local commerce markets in the leisure, recreation, foodservice and retail sectors. In February 2012, the Company announced the launch of Groupon Thailand. In September 2012, it acquired Savored.

In May 2010, the Company acquired CityDeal Europe GmbH (CityDeal). In August 2010, the Company acquired Qpod.inc (Qpod). In November 2010, the Company acquired Ludic Labs, Inc., a company that designs and develops local marketing services. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company acquired Mobly, Inc. In February 2011, the Company launched Deal Channels, which aggregates daily deals from the same category.

The Company distributes a featured daily deal by e-mail on behalf of local merchants to subscribers. It offers daily deals from more than 40 national merchants, including Bath & Body Works, The Body Shop, Hyatt Regency, InterContinental Hotels, Lions Gate, Redbox, Shutterfly and Zipcar across subsets of the North American market. Daily deals that do not appear as a featured daily deal appear as Deals Nearby. Each Deal Nearby is summarized in fewer than 20 words next to the featured daily deal. Deals Nearby often extends beyond the subscriber's closest market or buying preferences.

National merchants also have used the Company�� marketplace as an alternative to traditional marketing and brand advertising. On August 19, 2010, the Company e-mailed and posted a Groupon daily deal offering $50 of apparel at Gap for $25 to 9.2 million subscribers across 85 markets in North America. It sold approximately 433,000 Groupons in 24 hours. Of the consumers who purchased Groupons, approximately 200,000 were new subscribers. As of September 30, 2011, it had 142.9 million subscribers to its daily e-mails.

Groupon NOW is a deal initiated by a merchant on demand and offered instantly to subscribers through mobile devices and its Website. Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company launched Groupon NOW in 25 North American markets. Deal Channels aggregate daily deals from the same category and are accessible through its Website and through e-mail alerts that subscribers sign up to receive. It offers Deal Channels in home and garden and event tickets and travel. Merchants can register their deals to be included in a Deal Channel. Subscribers can use Deal Channels to focus on deals that are of interest to them.

Self-Service Deals allows the Company�� merchants to use a self-service platform to create and launch deals at their discretion. The use of the platform is free and allows merchants to establish a permanent e-commerce presence on Groupon that can be visited and followed by subscribers. The Company receives a portion of the purchase price from deals sold through Self-Service Deals based on the extent to which it marketed the deal. In December 2010, it launched Self-Service Deals in selected North American markets.

Groupon Goods enables consumers to purchase vouchers for products directly from its Website. The Company e-mails deals for Groupon Goods weekly to a targeted subscriber base. The Company offers deals for a variety of product categories, including electronics, home and garden and toys. In September 2011, the Compa! ny launch! ed Groupon Goods in select North American and International markets.

Groupon Rewards enables consumers to unlock special Groupon deals from local merchants through repeat visits. Consumers earn reward points at participating merchants by paying with the credit or debit card they have registered with the Company. Merchants set the amount the consumer must spend to unlock a reward deal, and once a consumer is eligible to unlock a deal, it automatically notifies them. The Company distributes its deals directly through several platforms: a daily e-mail, its Websites, its mobile applications and social networks.

In December 2010, the Company partnered with Redbox to offer a daily deal to their user base and it acquired over 200,000 new customers through that offer and in March 2011, it partnered with eBay to offer a daily deal to their user base and it acquired over 290,000 new customers through that offer. The featured daily deal e-mail contains one headline deal with a full-description of the deal and often contains links to More Great Deals Nearby, all of which are available within a subscriber's market.

Visitors are prompted to register as a subscriber when they first visit its Website and thereafter use the Website as a portal for featured daily deals, Deals Nearby, national deals, and where available, Deal Channels and Self-Service Deals. Consumers also access the Company�� deals through its mobile applications, which are available on the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows mobile operating systems. It launched its first mobile application in March 2010. The Company publishes its daily deals through various social networks and its notifications are adapted to the particular format of each of these social networking platforms.

Groupon competes with Google, Microsoft, Eversave, BuyWithMe and LivingSocial.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  www.zynga.com From the company that made single-serve coffee cool reporting quarterly results to the leader in online daily deals trying to become less of a bargain itself, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- Kors Over Coach The past few quarters have seen two trends for premium handbags: Coach (COH) is losing market share, and Michael Kors (KORS) is gaining. We should see more of that to kick off the new week with Kors reporting on Monday. Coach follows a day later. It should be quite the disparity. Analysts see sales at Kors soaring 33 percent, and that's decelerating growth. Coach is expected to post another period of declining sales. Wall Street pros are betting on an 11 percent decline. Fashionistas can be fickle. Tuesday -- Let's Make a Deal Daily deals were all the rage when Groupon (GRPN) went public at $20 a share three years ago. Time hasn't been kind. Groupon has shed roughly two thirds of its value. However, Groupon has tried to rediscover its former growth by expanding into actual merchandise and offering its growing list of local merchant partners some business services. The stock has been meandering in the single digits for months, but analysts are holding out for healthy growth when Groupon reports on Tuesday afternoon. Then again, with the stock trading at a fraction of where it was when it went public, Groupon is probably hoping that its own stock becomes the site's next hot deal. Wednesday -- Cool Beans Keurig Green Mountain (GMCR) has bounced back nicely since many naysayers left it for dead. When two key patents governing the K-Cup portion packs expired in late 2012, some analysts feared that its high-margin K-Cup business would be overrun with cheaper third-party suppliers. Competition has intensified, but Keurig Green Mountain has still found ways to extend partnerships and grow its overall business. Things are just getting started for Keurig Green Mountain with a ne

• [By Gregory Wallace]

  Online coupon site Groupon (GRPN)'s co-founder Eric Lefkofsky, who Forbes values at $1.75 billion, said he supports human rights, medical and cultural programs. His wife, Liz, runs their charity, the Lefkofsky Family Foundation.

• [By Andrew Tonner]

  It's been a wild ride for Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN  ) investors on the public markets. The company initially went public with about as much hype behind it as there ever has been, only to see that promise fade quickly. However, as its share price has reflected over the past few months, the company has gone a long way toward righting the ship and moving into a more stable future. In this video, Fool contributor Andrew Tonner breaks down the ongoing turnaround at the daily-deals monster and how, despite all the positivity, the company's shares still might be a tad too optimistic today.