Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015

Kroger (NYSE: KR  ) is about to grow by more than 200 supermarkets. The grocer has reached an agreement to acquire Harris Teeter (NYSE: HTSI  ) , both companies announced in a joint press release. Kroger will pay $49.38 per share in cash in a transaction estimated to total $2.44 billion. It also intends to assume Harris Teeter's outstanding debt, which amounts to roughly $100 million.

The deal will provide Kroger an additional 212 supermarkets located in eight states across the Mid-Atlantic region and the Southeast. All told, the company's store tally will be 2,631. Harris Teeter will function as a subsidiary of its new parent and be helmed by its current senior management team.

The acquisition is the largest for Kroger since its 1999 purchase of superstore chain Fred Meyer for around $13 billion, plus debt assumption.

The Harris Teeter acquisition is expected to be accretive to diluted EPS by $0.06-$0.09 in the first full year following the close of the deal. That figure includes allocations for debt reduction, but it excludes transition and transaction costs.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Kraft Foods Group Inc (KRFT)

Kraft Foods Group, Inc. (Kraft Foods Group), incorporated on March 16, 2012, operates food and beverage businesses in North America. The Company manufactures and markets food and beverage products, including convenient meals, refreshment beverages and coffee, cheese and other grocery products, in the United States and Canada, under a stable of iconic brands. Its product categories span breakfast, lunch and dinner meal occasions, both at home and in foodservice locations. The Company sells its products to supermarket chains, wholesalers, supercenters, club stores, mass merchandisers, distributors, convenience stores, drug stores, gasoline stations, value stores and other retail food outlets in the United States and Canada. On September 14, 2012, the Company�� parent company, Kraft Foods Inc. (Kraft ParentCo), issued a press release relating to the anticipated trading markets for Kraft Foods Inc. and Kraft Foods Group, Inc. common stock through the completion of its spin-off from Kraft Foods Inc. In October 2012, Mondelez International, Inc. completed the spin-off of North American grocery business, Kraft Foods Group. In June 2013, Kraft Foods Group Inc announced plans to create two new, standalone business units: Meals and Desserts, and Enhancers and Snack Nuts.

The Company�� brand portfolio consists of food brands in North America, including three brands: Kraft cheeses, dinners and dressings; Oscar Mayer meats, and Maxwell House coffees- plus over 20 brands. It manufactures and sells food and beverage products in 50 categories. The Company operates in five segments: U.S. Beverages, which manufactures packaged juice drinks, powdered beverages and coffee; U.S. Cheese, which manufactures processed, natural and cream cheeses; U.S. Convenient Meals, which manufactures processed meats and lunch combinations; U.S. Grocery, which manufactures spoonable and pourable dressings, condiments, desserts, packaged dinners and snack nuts, and Canada & N.A. Foodservice, which sells products that span ! all of its segments and includes the Canadian and Puerto Rico grocery business, the North American foodservice operations and the North American Grocery Export Business.

U.S. Beverages

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company�� U.S. Beverages segment contributed 16% of its combined net revenues. This segment manufactures refreshment beverages, including Capri Sun (under license) and Kool-Aid packaged juice drinks, Kool-Aid, Crystal Light and Country Timepowdered beverages and MiO liquid concentrate, and coffee products, including Maxwell House, Gevalia and Yuban coffees, Maxwell House Internationalbeverage mixers and Tassimo (under license) hot beverage system.

U.S. Cheese

During 2011, U.S. Cheese segment had contributed 20% of the Company�� combined net revenues. This segment manufactures processed cheese, including Velveeta and Cheez Whiz processed cheeses, Kraft and Deli Deluxe processed cheese slices, Kraft grated cheeses and Polly-O and Athenos hummus and cheeses; natural cheese, including Kraft and Cracker Barrel natural cheeses, and cream cheese, including Philadelphia cream cheese and cooking creme.

U.S. Convenient Meals

During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Convenient Meals segment contributed 18% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Oscar Mayer lunch meats, hot dogs and bacon, Lunchables lunch combinations, Boca soy-based meat alternatives, and Claussen pickles.

U.S. Grocery

During 2011, the Company�� U.S. Grocery segment contributed 25% of its combined net revenues. This segment�� principal brands and products include Kraft and Kraft Deluxe macaroni & cheese dinners, Planters nuts, trail mixes and peanut butter, Corn Nuts corn snacks, Jell-O dry packaged desserts and refrigerated gelatin and pudding snacks, Cool Whip whipped topping, Jet-Puffed marshmallows, Baker�� chocolate and baking ingredients, Kraft and Miracle Whip sp! oonable d! ressings, Kraft and Good Seasons salad dressings, A.1. steak sauce, Kraft and Bull��-Eye barbecue sauces, Grey Poupon mustards, Shake N��Bake coatings, Stove Top stuffing mix, Taco Bell Home Originals (under license) meal kits, Velveeta shells and cheese dinners, and Velveeta Skillets meal kits.

Canada & N.A. Foodservice

During 2011, the Company�� Canada & N.A. Foodservice segment contributed 21% of its combined net revenues. The principal products and brands in this segment span all of its segments. Canadian grocery offerings include Nabob coffee and Kraft peanut butter, as well as a range of products in the Grocery Business Lines. The North American foodservice business sells branded products, including Maxwell House coffee, A.1. steak sauce and a range of Kraft sauces, dressings and cheeses, and serves the needs of restaurants and other foodservice operations. Puerto Rico grocery offerings include all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages, such as Crystal Light, Tang and MiO. The North American Grocery Export Business products and brands span all grocery business lines, except for powdered and liquid concentrate beverages and certain products sold under brands, such as Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraftmayonnaise, which marketed and sold locally by Kraft ParentCo in countries outside the United States and Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jarrod W. Jacinth]

  Mondelez International, Inc. (MDLZ) the snack food spin-off of Kraft Foods (KRFT) is a more suitable comparison. Coca-Cola is a beverage company but PepsiCo and Mondelez are both beverage and snack food companies.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Bonamour Inc (BONI)

Bonamour, Inc., incorporated on August 21, 2002, is a developer, distributor and reseller of health and beauty products and originator of the mind-body system. The Company�� products are sold under the Bonamour name. It has three skin care products, which it markets as Bonamour�� Rejuvenating Trio. These products include a rejuvenating skin cleanser, a cellular renewal complex and an anti-aging eye cream. All three products are formulated with its Bonamour Blend Active Plant Stem Cell Technology.

KLENZ is Bonamour�� rejuvenating skin cleanser. The cleanser is designed to cleanse and soften the skin, while minimizing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and pigmentation irregularities using the exfoliating benefits of glycolic acid. HI-DRAT is its cellular renewal complex. It utilizes antioxidants to protect against free radical damage. HI-DRAT is suitable for all skin types and formulated to help smooth away fine lines and wrinkles while rejuvenating the overall skin�� health.

KE-REKT is its anti-aging eye repair cream. It contains Argan, which accelerates skin�� natural repair process and helps combat chronological aging and loss of firmness. AKTE-VAT is its activating mineral mist. This weightless mist has been formulated to purify the skin and stimulate enzymatic activity to help increase the fibroblast production of pre-collagen. The mist locks in moisture and supplies vital nutrients to help give the skin a younger appearance. Its nutraceutical under development is DE-TOX, a hand, skin and nail detoxification treatment designed to help defend the body against aging free radical damage.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

Top 10 Building Product Stocks To Invest In Right Now: TiVo Inc.(TIVO)

TiVo Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides technology and services for television solutions, including digital video recorders (DVRs) and connected televisions in the United States and internationally. The company offers subscription-based TiVo service, which enhances home entertainment by providing consumers with a way to record, watch, and control live television, as well as to receive videos, pictures, and movies from cable, broadcast, and broadband sources in one interface. It also provides a platform for advertising and audience research measurement services. TiVo Inc. distributes the TiVo DVR through consumer electronics retailers and its online store at TiVo.com, as well as the TiVo service through agreements with satellite and cable television service providers; and broadcasting companies. As of January 31, 2011, it had approximately 1.5 million subscriptions to the TiVo service. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Alviso, California. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rex Moore]

  TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO  ) has operated in a cutthroat industry since its inception. As Verizon, DIRECTV, and others began to offer their own DVRs, TiVo's subscriber count plummeted.

• [By Michael Lewis]

  After a difficult multiyear period, original DVR innovator TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO  ) once again has profitability within its grasp. The company recently posted Street-beating earnings for the first quarter, and forecast the coming year to investors' and analysts' delight. Still, TiVo operates in a hyper-competitive, technology-driven business. This makes it a difficult investment prospect that should only appeal to investors if it is determined to have a wide margin of safety. After a one-year gain of more than 30%, can TiVo still offer investors upside potential, or has the company's recovery already been priced into the stock?

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  TiVo is a provider of media content management that serves many busy consumers who need to schedule entertainment at their own time. The stock has been moving higher, with some volatility, and is now seeing some selling due to a recent settlement. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been on the rise, confusing investors in the company. Relative to its peers and sector, TiVo has been a poor performer year-to-date. WAIT AND SEE what TiVo does in coming quarters.

• [By Maria Armental and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  TiVo Inc.(TIVO) swung to a first-quarter profit as the maker of television set-top boxes reported the highest level of subscriptions in the company’s history and an increase in its service and technology revenues. Shares rose 4.6% to $12.48 premarket.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Inc (TTPH)

Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on July 7, 2006, is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company�� product candidate, eravacycline, is a fully synthetic tetracycline derivative that the Company are developing as a broad-spectrum intravenous and oral antibiotic for use as a first-line empiric monotherapy for the treatment of multi-drug resistant infections, including multi-drug resistant Gram-negative infections. The Company�� frequently used products, such as Zyvox and Cubicin, are limited to Gram-positive bacteria and thus are rarely used as a first-line empiric monotherapy if broad bacterial coverage is required. During the year ended December 31, 2012, completed a Phase 2 clinical trial of eravacycline with intravenous administration for the treatment of patients with complicated intra-abdominal infections, or cIAI, and are finalizing its pivotal Phase 3 program for eravacycline. In 2012, in vitro experiments, eravacycline has demonstrated the ability to cover a variety of multi-drug resistant Gram-negative, Gram-positive, anaerobic and atypical bacteria, including multi-drug resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, the species of Gram-negative bacteria that killed seven patients at the Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health.

Gram-positive bacteria that have developed resistance to existing drugs include: Streptococcus pneumoniae that cause pneumonia, ear infections, bloodstream infections and meningitis; Staphylococcus aureus that cause skin, bone, lung and bloodstream infections, and Enterococci that are responsible for infections transmitted in healthcare settings. Gram-negative bacteria that have developed resistance to existing drugs include: Escherichia coli that cause urinary tract, skin and bloodstream infections; Salmonella and Escherichia coli that cause foodborne infections, and Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella spp.

In addition, other antibiotics that have been used as first-line empiric monothe! rapies, such as Levaquin, piperacillin/tazobactam, which is marketed by Pfizer as Zosyn, carbapenems, such as Merrem, and imipenem/cilastatin, which is marketed by Merck as Primaxin, have seen their utility as first-line empiric monotherapies diminished as the number of bacterial strains resistant to these therapies has increased. In addition to developing an intravenous formulation of eravacycline, the Company is also developing an oral formulation. A number of previous tetracyclines have been available in both intravenous and oral dosage forms. Infections that are resistant to existing oral drugs are increasingly common, and the Company believe that an intravenous-to-oral step-down therapy in which patients are started on the intravenous formulation of eravacycline and then stepped down to an oral formulation of eravacycline could reduce the length of a patient�� hospital stay or help avoid hospital admission altogether, lowering the overall cost of care for these patients.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 biopharmaceutical player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade is Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals (TTPH), which using its proprietary chemistry technology creates novel antibiotics for serious and life-threatening multi-drug resistant infections. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up 19.4%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, you'll notice that this stock has just started to trend back above its 50-day moving average of $7.76 a share with decent upside volume flows. That move is quickly pushing shares of TTPH within range of breaking out above some key near-term overhead resistance levels that have acted as a ceiling for the stock for the last three months.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in TTPH if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $8.30 to $8.40 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $8.50 to $9 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average volume of 62,234 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then TTPH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $9.66 a share. Any high-volume move above that level will then push TTPH into new all-time high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $12 to $13 a share.

  Traders can look to buy TTPH off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $7.76 a share, or below more key near-term support levels at $7.37 to $7.02 a share. One can also buy TTPH off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Central European Media Enterprises Ltd.(CETV)

Central European Media Enterprises Ltd., a media and entertainment company, operates broadcast, content, and new media businesses in central and eastern Europe. The company operates in three segments: Broadcast, Media Pro Entertainment, and New Media. The Broadcast segment operates 30 television channels reaching an aggregate of approximately 49 million people primarily in 6 countries. It operates television channels, including BTV, BTV CINEMA, BTV COMEDY, RING.BG, BTV ACTION, and BTV LADY, a female-oriented cable channel in Bulgaria; NOVA TV, DOMA, and NOVA WORLD in Croatia; TV NOVA, NOVA CINEMA, NOVA SPORT, and MTV CZECH in the Czech Republic; PRO TV, PRO TV INTERNATIONAL, ACASA, PRO CINEMA, MTV ROMANIA, PRO TV CHISINAU, and SPORT.RO in Romania; TV MARK�A and DOMA in the Slovak Republic; POP TV, KANAL A, and POP BRIO in Slovenia, as well as various radio channels in Bulgaria. The Media Pro Entertainment segment develops, produces, and distributes content for its own te levision channels, as well as to third parties through the theatrical and home video operations; sells DVD and Blu Ray discs to wholesale and retail clients; and distributes theatrical, home entertainment, digital, and television film rights. It also owns and operates 16 cinema screens in Romania. The New Media segment offers television content; and operates various news portals, niche Websites, and television-related Websites. Central European Media Enterprises Ltd. was founded in 1994 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Central European Media Enterprises (NASDAQ: CETV) dipped 5.84% to $3.55 in the pre-market session. Central European Media's trailing-twelve-month ROE is -70.51%.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Central European Media Enterprises (NASDAQ: CETV) shot up 73.07 percent to $4.69 after the company reported Q4 results.

  Shares of OmniVision Technologies (NASDAQ: OVTI) got a boost, shooting up 7.22 percent to $17.38 after the company posted better-than-expected Q3 results.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Bridgeline Digital Inc.(BLIN)

Bridgeline Digital, Inc. engages in the development of Web experience management (WEM) product and interactive technology solutions that help organizations to optimize business processes. Its iAPPS product suite includes iAPPS Content Manager that allows non-technical users to create, edit, and publish content through a browser-based interface; iAPPS Commerce, an online B2B and B2C eCommerce solution, which allows users to maximize and manage various aspects of commerce initiatives; and iAPPS Marketier, a marketing lifecycle management solution that comprises customer transaction analysis, email management, surveys and polls, event registration, and issue tracking to measure campaign return on investment and client satisfaction. The company also provides iAPPS Analyzer to manage, measure, and optimize Web properties by recording detailed events and mine data within a Web application for statistical analysis; and iAPPS Rapid Site for building custom Websites. It delivers it s iAPPS product suite through cloud-based software as a service business model or via a traditional perpetual licensing business model. The company?s end-to-end interactive technology solutions consist of digital strategy, user-centered design, Web application development, SharePoint development, rich media development, search engine optimization, and Web application hosting management. Bridgeline Digital serves various markets, such as financial services, consumer products and goods, health services and life sciences, high technology (software and hardware), retail brand names, transportation and storage, associations and foundations, and the U.S. Government through its direct sales force. The company was formerly known as Bridgeline Software, Inc. and changed its name to Bridgeline Digital, Inc. in March 2010. Bridgeline Digital, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Burlington, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Congratulations to anyone who owned shares of Bridgeline Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:BLIN) before today. You're now up 35% for the day so far, and still counting. The big pop from BLIN stemmed from the announcement that it scored a pretty significant deal with an organization consisting of nearly 4000 dentists and doctors. The terms of the deal are simple enough... Bridgeline Digital will host and service websites for the practitioners in the group for a period of three years, and in return, BLIN will receive $7 million.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Financial Institutions Inc.(FISI)

Financial Institutions, Inc. operates as the holding company for Five Star Bank that provides consumer and commercial banking, and financial services to individuals, municipalities, and businesses in central and western New York. Its deposit accounts consist of noninterest-bearing demand, interest-bearing demand, savings, money market, club, individual retirement, and other qualified plan accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, one-to-four family residential mortgages, consumer automobile loans, recreational vehicle loans, boat loans, home improvement loans, closed-end home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, collateralized and uncollateralized personal loans, deposit account collateralized loans, commercial and agricultural working capital and revolving lines of credit, commercial and agricultural mortgages, equipment loans, and crop and livestock loans. It operates throug h a network of approximately 51 offices and 70 ATMs in 14 contiguous counties of western and central New York. The company, through its other subsidiary, Five Star Investment Services, Inc., provides brokerage services. Financial Institutions, Inc. was founded in 1931 and is based in Warsaw, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Financial Institutions Inc. (NASDAQ: FISI) was started as Buy with a $24 price target by Sterne Agee.

  Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) was reiterated as Buy and added to the prized Conviction Buy list at Goldman Sachs.

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Financial Institutions Inc. (FISI) operates as the holding company for Five Star Bank that provides various banking and financial services to individuals, municipalities, and businesses. Aug. 21, the company increased its quarterly dividend 6% to $0.19 per share. The dividend is payable payable Oct. 2, 2013 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 12, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 3.9%.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Mattress Firm Holding Corp (MFRM)

Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (Mattress Firm), incorporated on January 5, 2007, is a specialty retailer of mattresses and related products and accessories in the United States. The Company conducts its operations through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, Mattress Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries. As of August 2, 2011, the Company and its franchisees operated 620 and 107 stores, respectively, primarily under the Mattress Firm name, in 60 markets across 25 states. The Company focuses on the national brands, but also offers its customers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses. The Company has introduced its YuMe brand. On October 15, 2010, the Company acquired Peak Management, LLC. On December 1, 2010, the Company acquired Maggie's Enterprises, Inc. In May 2012, Mattress Firm announced the completion of its acquisition of regional bedding company, Mattress Giant Holding Corp. Effective September 9, 2013, Mattress Firm Holding Corp, a unit of JW Childs Associates LP, acquired Olejo Inc, a provider of ecommerce retail services.

The Company�� stores carry national mattress brands, with a range of styles, sizes, price points and features. The Company provides its customers with their choice of traditional mattresses, including Sealy and Simmons, as well as specialty mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic. In addition to its mattress selection, the Company offers a range of bedding-related products and accessories.

Conventional Mattresses

Conventional mattresses, such as those of Sealy (including Sealy Posturepedic and Stearns and Foster) and Simmons (including Simmons Beautyrest), utilize steel-coil innersprings. During the fiscal year ended February 1, 2011, the conventional mattresses represented approximately 75% of bedding industry sales in the United States and approximately 60% of the Company�� total sales. In addition to these national brands, the Company also offers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses.

Specialty Mattresses

Specialty mattresses, such as those manufactured by Tempur-Pedic and select comfort, utilize materials other than steel-coil innersprings to provide comfort and support. In fiscal 2010, the specialty mattresses represented approximately 30% of the Company�� total sales. The Company is expanding its assortments in the categories, including viscoelastic foam mattresses and yume sleep system. Viscoelastic foam, also referred to as memory foam or polyurethane foam, features a temperature sensitive foam core that reduces pressure points and tossing and turning by contouring to one's body. The Company has introduced a sleep system made of foam produced from coconut oil, utilizing a technology that uses ambient air to heat and cool the mattress surface.

Furniture and Accessories

During fiscal 2010, the Company was in the process of introducing new headboards and footboards, which complement its current bedding products. All of the Company�� stores carry an assortment of bedding-related accessories, including bed frames, mattress pads and pillows. In fiscal 2010, bedding-related products and accessories represented approximately 7% of the Company�� total sales from Company-operated stores.

The Company competes with Mattress Giant, American Mattress, Haverty's, Rooms-To-Go, Macy's, Sears, JC Penney, Walmart, Costco and Original Mattress.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Mattress Firm Holding Corp.(MFRM) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 14%, as the company reported a strong increase in revenue and same-store sales. Shares rose 6.9% to $47.50 premarket.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Tomorrow, Mattress Firm (NASDAQ: MFRM  ) will release its latest quarterly results. As the consumer segment of the economy has picked up steam over the past several years, discretionary spending on things like mattresses is finally starting to grow, and Mattress Firm has managed to capitalize on that trend.

• [By Anna Prior]

  Mattress Firm Holding Corp.'s(MFRM) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 46% as increased advertising helped drive customer traffic and sales growth. The company’s adjusted profit and revenue beat expectations.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Schawk Inc.(SGK)

Schawk, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides graphic services and solutions in the Americas, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company?s graphic services encompasses a range of creative and executional service offerings, including traditional premedia business services, as well as digital photography, color retouching, large format digital printing, and sales and promotional samples under the Schawk brand name; and digital three-dimensional modeling of prototypes or existing packages for its consumer products clients. Its brand and package strategy and design services include brand consulting and creative design for packaging applications to consumer products companies, food and beverage retailers, and mass merchandisers under the Brandimage and Anthem brands. The company also offers digital promotion and advertising services to the digital communications markets under the Untitled and Real Branding brand names. In addition, it provides software products, such a s graphic lifecycle content management systems comprising digital asset management, workflow management, online proofing, and intelligence performance management modules; and support services, which include implementation, on-site management, validation for regulated environments, and support and training for the marketing services departments of consumer products, pharmaceutical/life sciences, and retail companies. The company serves direct purchasers of graphic services, including end-use consumer product manufacturers of food, beverage, non-food and beverage, and pharmaceutical products; groceries, pharmacies, department, and mass merchant retailers; converters; and advertising agencies. Schawk, Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  There's no foolproof way to know the future for Schawk (NYSE: SGK  ) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

Best Supermarket Companies To Watch For 2015: Orbotech Ltd.(ORBK)

Orbotech Ltd. engages in designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing, and servicing yield-enhancing and production solutions for specialized applications in the supply chain of the electronics industry. The company?s products include automated optical inspection (AOI), automated optical repair, laser direct imaging, digital legend printing, laser drilling, laser plotters, computer-aided manufacturing, and engineering solutions for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and other electronics component manufacturing; and AOI, test, repair, and process monitoring systems for flat panel display (FPD) manufacturing. It also develops and markets character recognition solutions and services primarily to banks, financial institutions, and other payment processing institutions for use in check and healthcare payment processing. In addition, the company is involved in the research and development of products for the deposition of anti-reflective coating on crystalline silicon photovolta ic wafers for solar energy panels. It primarily serves manufacturer of PCB, FPD, liquid crystal displays, and other electronic components worldwide. The company was formerly known as Optrotech Ltd. and changed its name to Orbotech Ltd. as a result of its merger with Orbot Systems Ltd. in October 1992. Orbotech Ltd. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Yavne, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  AOI companies had little in the way of competition since they held a specialty niche and their systems were protected by patents. Years of R&D would be required to unseat them by way of technological superiority; therefore it made more sense for a larger company to assimilate them should they wish to enter the AOI sector. That said, CAMT was much smaller than its archrival Orbitech (ORBK) in the PCB AOI sector; thus their key to long term growth lied in their penetration into the rapidly expanding semiconductor AOI sector. In that area, their main completion was August Semiconductor.

• [By John Emerson]

  Orbotech (ORBK) and Rudolph Technologies (RTEC) Sizable Net-Nets in the AOI Sector

  As noted previously, I rode the elevator up and then back down on Camtek (CAMT), a tiny Israeli automated optical inspection (AOI) company. By late 2008 the company had fallen to below $1 per share. Both of Camtek�� larger rivals, RTEC and ORBK, had dropped to absurdly low levels by November 2008. I used the opportunity to switch out of CAMT and some of my other losing propositions in favor of these superior companies. In the process, I created a large amount of tax loss carry-forwards which would allow me to minimize my future taxation when I decided to sell these cyclical entities.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Orbotech (Nasdaq: ORBK  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.