Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014

Don't look now but SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) has become the best-performing stock in the solar industry. Over the past year, it's been better than fellow U.S.-based companies First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR  ) and SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY  ) , and far better than most Chinese manufacturers. Yingli Green Energy (NYSE: YGE  ) and Trina Solar lag well behind even after recent pops higher; only Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ  ) can come close to SunPower's return (and I'll get into the reason for that below).

SPWR Total Return Price data by YCharts

So, why is this stock so hot and can the streak continue? I think so, and there are three big reasons why.

Downstream solar is the dominant paradigm
If you have the choice between risky solar manufacturers and a downstream installer, it's better to choose the installer right now. They can lock in long-term power supply agreements, building a business that acts more like a bond than a volatile stock. SolarCity has used this model with success, and despite the fact that it isn't reporting a profit yet, it's building solar installations that will generate revenue for 20 or more years.

Best Railroad Stocks To Buy Right Now: Synageva BioPharma Corp (GEVA)

Synageva BioPharma Corp., incorporated in 1993, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutic products. It has several protein therapeutics in development, including two enzyme replacement therapies for lysosomal storage disorders and two programs for life-threatening genetic conditions. Its lead program, SBC-102, recombinant human lysosomal acid lipase (LAL), is its advanced pipeline program in clinical development for LAL Deficiency. This enzyme is responsible for the metabolism of cholesteryl esters and triglycerides that are delivered to lysosomes by a variety of routes, including low-density lipoprotein receptor mediated endocytosis. On November 2, 2012, Trimeris, Inc. merged with Synageva BioPharma Corp.

SBC-102 is produced by recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) technology in egg white using its protein manufacturing platform. The Company has initiated natural history studies in approximately 20 countries. In addition to SBC-102, it is progressing protein therapeutic programs for other rare diseases, which are at different stages of preclinical development. These include two enzyme replacement therapies for other lysosomal storage disorders and two programs for other rare life-threatening conditions. As of December 31, 2011, its product candidate pipeline included SBC-102, SBC-103, SBC-104, SBC-105 and SBC-106.

SBC-104 is an extracellular protein that targets a severe, rare genetic condition. SBC-105 is an enzyme replacement therapy being developed to treat a severe, rare metabolic disorder. SBC-106 is a protein therapy that targets a severe and rare genetic condition.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Shares of Synageva BioPharma (NASDAQ: GEVA) were down 14.42 percent to $89.69 after the company reported that Phase 3 study met primary endpoint and six secondary endpoints across multiple disease-related abnormalities. Citigroup initiated coverage on Synageva BioPharma with a Neutral rating.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Somaiya and team named Gilead and�Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) their top picks, hile putting Buy ratings on Celgene, Biogen Idec, Alexion (ALXN), Incyte (INCY), Pharmacyclics (PCYC) and Synageva (GEVA). BioMarin (BMRN), Infinity Pharmaceuticals (INFI) and Amgen (AMGN) earned Neutral ratings.

Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: QAD Inc. (QADB)

QAD Inc. provides enterprise software applications, and related services and support for manufacturing companies worldwide. The company offers QAD Enterprise Applications, an integrated suite of software applications, which support the business processes. Its QAD Enterprise Applications include suites, such as QAD Financials to manage and control fiscal business processes at various levels; QAD Customer Management suite for manufacturers to acquire new customers and retain customers through service and support; QAD Manufacturing that offers solutions in the areas of planning and scheduling, cost management, material control, shop floor control, and reporting in various mixed-mode manufacturing environments; and QAD Supply Chain that fulfills materials planning and logistics requirements. The QAD Enterprise Applications also comprise QAD Service and Support product suite that handles service calls, manages service queues, and organizes mobile field resources, as well as pro vides project management support; QAD Enterprise Asset Management for managing assets from inception through operations and replacement; QAD Supply Chain Execution that provides capabilities to manage execution throughout a company�s supply chain; QAD Analytics that helps customers in analyses, decision-making, and performance management; and QAD QXtend toolset for open interoperability. The company also provides customer support and professional services. In addition, it operates QAD Store that enables customers to obtain information and to access updated software and add-on products. It serves automotive, consumer products, food and beverage, high technology, industrial products, and life sciences industries. The company sells its products directly; and through distributors and sales agents. QAD Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  QAD (NASDAQ: QADB) shares gained 4.23% to reach a new 52-week high of $18.00 on Q4 results.

  McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX) shares rose 5.93% to touch a new 52-week high of $3.72 after the company reported 4 updated reserve & resource estimate at the San Jose mine in Argentina.

Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: Ishares Trust Dow Jones United States (IDU)

iShares Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Sector Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Utilities Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the utilities sector of the United States equity market. The Index includes companies in industry groups, such as electricity and gas, water and multi-utilities. The Index is a subset of the Dow Jones U.S. Total Market Index and is capitalization weighted. The Index is reconstituted quarterly.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent as the Index is so concentrated. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

  Unusual volume (at least 5X ADV): iShares Utilities ETF (NYSE: IDU), First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund (NYSE: FXU), iShares MSCI Germany Small Cap ETF (NYSE: EWGS), iShares MSCI USA ETF (NYSE: EUSA), SPDR S&P Emerging Europe ETF (NYSE: GUR), PowerShares Water Resources (NYSE: PHO) and the Vanguard Industrials ETF (NYSE: VIS).

Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: Longreach Oil and Gas Ltd (LOI)

Longreach Oil And Gas Limited (Longreach) is an exploration-stage company. The Company�� projects include Sidi Moktar Onshore, Foum Draa Offshore and Sidi Moussa Offshore, Tarfaya Onshore and Zag Onshore. Sidi Moktar Onshore is consists of three blocks (Sidi Moktar West, Sidi Moktar South and Sidi Moktar North) totalling 4,711 square kilometres, which covers the majority of the hydrocarbon basin of Essaouira, located in central onshore Morocco. Foum Draa Offshore and Sidi Moussa Offshore is located directly west of Agadir, the licences cover an area of approximately 12,714 square kilometers (3.14 million acres). Tarfaya Onshore has a total of 608 kilometers of two-dimensional (2D) seismic was shot, beyond the minimum work programme requirement of 500 kilometers. Zag Onshore is a 15,000 square kilometers aeromagnetic survey has been completed on the licence. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By kcpl]

  Transocean has been facing customer drops as a result of prevailing stiff market conditions and over supply. The company announced that it had letters of intent (LOI) for four deepwater rigs to work in West Africa and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, which were ultimately canceled due to the operators postponing drilling programs to 2015. This is a tough situation for Transocean.