5 Best Financial Stocks For 2014

Buying stock in a company like Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) is no sure thing, as the aluminum giant has struggled over the last few years against the global economic malaise and heightened competition from state-backed entities in China and elsewhere.

The consequences of these trends have been twofold. First, the company's earnings per share have plummeted since the financial crisis. According to Finviz.com, the figure has fallen an astounding 44%. Only Bank of America�even comes close in this regard with a contraction of 40%. And secondly, the market has turned particularly bearish on Alcoa stock. As you can see in the figure below, a full 6.47% of its outstanding float is currently sold short -- meaning that traders are betting it will go down. This gives Alcoa the disagreeable title of most shorted stock on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) .

Does this mean that Alcoa stock is headed down? Not necessarily. In fact, it could well be indicative of a fierce ascent in the future if short-sellers have to cover their positions simultaneously. But either way, the impetus must come from Alcoa itself. In the first quarter of this year, for example, while the company beat expectations on the bottom line, it missed on top-line revenue estimates. For any type of short-squeeze situation to materialize, it will have to beat on both. For either current or prospective investors in Alcoa stock, in turn, the most important thing is simply to know where it stands in the market.

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own Right Now: STAG Industrial Inc (STAG)

STAG Industrial, Inc., incorporated on July 21, 2010, is an integrated, full-service real estate company focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of single-tenant industrial properties throughout the United States. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owned 172 properties in 31 states with approximately 29.4 million rentable square feet, consisting of 112 warehouse/distribution properties, 39 light manufacturing properties and 21 flex/office properties. As of December 31, 2012, its properties were 95.1% leased to 156 tenants, with no single tenant accounting for more than 2.7% of its total annualized rent and no single industry accounting for more than 10.7% of its total annualized rent. In January 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of six buildings, consisting of two light manufacturing facilities and four warehouse and distribution facilities.

Its ability to re-lease space subject to expiring leases will impact its results of operations and is affected by economic and competitive conditions in its markets and by the desirability of its individual properties. As of December 31, 2012, it had approximately 1.4 million rentable square feet of available space in its properties. For the year ended December 31, 2012, it has achieved an 84% tenant retention rate for those tenants whose leases were scheduled to expire in 2012.Its rental expenses generally consist of utilities, real estate taxes, management fees, insurance and site repair and maintenance costs. For the majority of its tenants, its rental expenses are controlled, in part, by the triple net provisions in tenant leases. In its triple net leases, the tenant is responsible for all aspects of and costs related to the property and its operation during the lease term, including utilities, taxes, insurance and maintenance costs. Real estate investments are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The cost of real estate includes the purchase price of the property and lease! hold improvements. Total revenue consists primarily of rental income from its properties, lease termination fees, tenant reimbursements for insurance, real estate taxes and certain other expenses, and asset management fees. As of December 31, 2012 and December 31 2011, there were two and three vacant properties, respectively, owned by STAG Investments III, LLC (Fund III) and not contributed to the Company in the Formation Transactions (the Option Properties).

The Company evaluates the carrying value of all tangible and intangible real estate assets held for use for possible impairment when an event or change in circumstance has occurred that indicates their carrying value may not be recoverable. STAG Investments IV, LLC and STAG GI Investments, LLC (which are certain of the Participants and are referred to as part of the STAG Contribution Group), contributed 100% of their real estate entities and operations in exchange for 7,320,610 Common Units. On April 18, 2012, the Company entered into an agreement with affiliates of Columbus Nova Real Estate Acquisition Group, Inc. (Columbus Nova) to source sale leaseback transactions for potential acquisitions by the Company. On June 15, 2012, the Company acquired six industrial properties representing approximately 750,000 square feet in total for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $30.0 million directly from Columbus Nova. At the June 15, 2012 acquisition of these six industrial properties, the Company paid Columbus Nova an acquisition fee in the form of 15,789 Common Units. On December 22, 2011, the Company sold a vacant flex/office property located in Amesbury, MA containing approximately 78,000 net rentable square feet. On April 20, 2012, the Company sold a vacant warehouse and distribution facility located in Youngstown, OH containing 153,708 net rentable square feet. On November 30, 2012, the Company sold the Great Bend, KS building.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Coming into Thursday's earnings release, real-estate investment trust STAG Industrial (NYSE: STAG  ) had earned a reputation for providing both ample dividends and a good track record of share-price gains to its long-term investors. Even though STAG's third-quarter results were largely in line with what investors had expected from the company, the question shareholders still have is whether STAG will be able to grow fast enough to keep producing the impressive returns that some investors have started taking for granted. Let's take a closer look at how STAG Industrial did last quarter.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Industrial real estate investment trust�STAG Industrial� (NYSE: STAG  ) yesterday announced its second-quarter dividend, the eighth consecutive quarterly payout it's made.

5 Best Financial Stocks For 2014: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)

Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  NationsBank, which acquired First Republic's assets, went on to become Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) in 1998 when it acquired San Francisco's BankAmerica. BankAmerica, interestingly enough, had bought the assets of the largest failed bank in American history prior to the financial crisis: Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust, which held approximately $40 billion in assets when it was seized by federal regulators in 1984 to prevent a bank run.

• [By John Maxfield]

  The month of May could go down as the most important month of the year for Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) and its shareholders. In the video below, Motley Fool contributing writer John Maxfield talks about the one thing that makes this month so critical for the nation's second largest bank by assets.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The fact that more young people have chosen not to carry balances and pay high interest rates for unnecessary loans is an unqualifiedly positive result. Yet not having credit cards at all is one step too far, as it prevents young adults from enjoying many benefits that credit cards have over alternatives:

  Credit cards offer built-in protection from fraudulent charges, with a dispute mechanism allowing you to question charges on your account. The law limits your liability for credit card losses at $50 even if you don't make a report until well after those charges are made. By contrast, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act sets a much higher liability limit of $500 if you don't report a loss promptly after you find out about it, and you could be responsible for all the losses if you wait more than 60 days after a statement is sent. That's at least one reason why major banks Prudent credit card use is the best way to establish a credit history that can help you improve your chances of qualifying for a mortgage, obtaining a car loan, or even seemingly unrelated things like getting a job. Certain transactions are a major hassle without a credit card. For car rentals, for instance, companies will often debit your checking account immediately for a deposit, yet a credit card authorization is sufficient without an immediate charge for credit card users. Many credit cards offer much more lucrative rewards like cash back or airline miles than you'll find with debit cards. The threat of future debit-card fees still exists. Even though Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) , and Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) all backed down from test programs or plans to start imposing fees for debit cards a couple years ago, there's nothing stopping them from potentially doing so in the future.

  Many millennials answer these objections by arguing that they don't want to add to their debt levels. Yet there's no requirement that you mi

• [By Jessica Alling] Insurer MBIA (NYSE: MBI  ) fell as much as 11% in after-hours trading Monday when the news that it lost a pretrial judgement in its fight against Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) reached investors. The continued battle stems from allegations that B of A's acquired Countrywide division misrepresented loans to MBIA, which resulted in losses. � If MBIA wins the case, Bank of America would be responsible for buying back the loans -- which would be costly. In the video below, Motley Fool contributor Jessica Alling discusses the most recent determination, how it might be a good sign for Bank of America, and what investors should do next.�

  Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.

5 Best Financial Stocks For 2014: ARMOUR Residential REIT Inc (ARR)

ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc.( ARMOUR), incorporated on February 5, 2008, is an externally-managed Maryland corporation managed by ARMOUR Residential REIT, Inc. The Company invests primarily in hybrid adjustable rate, adjustable rate and fixed rate residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS). These securities are issued or guaranteed by a United States Government-sponsored entity (GSE), such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), or are guaranteed by the Government National Mortgage Administration (Ginnie Mae) collectively, Agency Securities. From time to time, a portion of its portfolio may be invested in unsecured notes and bonds issued by United States Government-chartered entities, collectively, Agency Debt. As of December 31, 2012, Agency Securities account for 100% of its portfolio.

The Company seeks long-term investment returns by investing its equity capital and borrowed funds in its targeted asset class of Agency Securities. The Company�� assets have been invested in Agency Securities or money market instruments, primarily deposits at federally chartered banks. The Company borrows against its Agency Securities using repurchase agreements. Its borrowings generally have maturities that may range from one month or less, up to one year, although occasionally it may enter into longer dated borrowing agreements to more closely match the rate adjustment period of its Agency Securities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Maxfield]

  An article published today by Bloomberg News cited a source at JPMorgan Chase claiming that mREITs like Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY  ) , American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) , and ARMOUR Residential (NYSE: ARR  ) may have needed to sell about $30 billion worth of MBSes in "just one week last month to maintain the amount of borrowing relative to their net worth." As the article went on to note, "Those types of sales deepened losses in the mortgage-bond market, which had the worst quarter since 1994, accelerated the exit from fixed-income funds, and fueled a jump in home-loan�rates�to a two-year high."

• [By Amanda Alix]

  In a show of bravado, several mREITs have declared dividends within the past week, with nary a decrease in sight. Capstead Mortgage (NYSE: CMO  ) just announced the continuation of its $0.31 per share�quarterly dividend, which was upped from $0.30 just this past March. CYS Investments (NYSE: CYS  ) revealed its intention to raise its own quarterly payout to $0.34�from $0.32 per share earlier this week, and Armour Residential (NYSE: ARR  ) has joined in, keeping its monthly $0.07 per share dividend firmly in place, even into the third quarter.

• [By Amanda Alix]

  This development will likely give battered mREITs like Annaly Capital (NYSE: NLY  ) , Armour Residential (NYSE: ARR  ) , and American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) �a huge boost as investors begin to feel less panic regarding a tapering of the current QE3 program. Markets have responded to the Summers announcement by soaring skyward, apparently feeling relief and confidence about the fate of the taper.

5 Best Financial Stocks For 2014: Annaly Capital Management Inc (NLY)

Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (Annaly), incorporated on November 25, 1996, owns, manage, and finance a portfolio of real estate related investments, including mortgage pass-through certificates, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), Agency callable debentures, and other securities representing interests in or obligations backed by pools of mortgage loans. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries offer diversified real estate, asset management and other financial services. The Company's subsidiary, RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap), operates as a broker-dealer. In August 2012, the Company liquidated FIDAC FSI LLC. In December 2012, the Company sold FIDAC Europe Limited.

The Company�� subsidiary Fixed Income Discount Advisory Company (FIDAC) is an investment advisor registered with the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), is a fixed-income investment management company specializing in managing fixed income investments in residential mortgage-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations for various investment vehicles and separate accounts. FIDAC is engaged in managing and structuring debt financing associated with various asset classes and as a liquidation agent of collateralized debt obligations. As of December 31, 2012, FIDAC was the adviser or sub-adviser for real estate investment trust (REITs )and other investment vehicles. Merganser Capital Management, Inc. (Merganser) is an investment advisor, registered with the SEC, engaged in a range of fixed income strategies and focuses on managing each portfolio based on each client�� specific investment principles. Merganser serves a group of clients in a range of disciplines globally, including pension, public, operating, Taft-Hartley and endowment funds, as well contribution plans. RCap Securities, Inc. (RCap) operates as a broker-dealer and is a member in the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

Through the Company�� subsidiary Shannon Funding LLC (Shannon),! it provides warehouse financing to residential mortgage originators in the United States. It also owns an additional subsidiary, which owns trading securities. Under the Company�� investment policy, at least 75% of its total assets consisted of mortgage-backed securities and short-term investments. The remainder of its assets, consisting not more than 25% of its total assets, may consist of other qualified REIT real estate assets. As of December 31, 2012, all of the mortgage-backed securities, which it has acquired, have been backed by single-family residential mortgage loans. The Company also invests in Agency debentures, which consist of debentures issued by the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Dumortier, CFA]

  mREITs: Excess returns or dividend bubble?
  I've been warning investors about the risks associated with mortgage REITs (mREITs) such as Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY  ) and American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC  ) for more than a year and a half. Finally, regulators are waking up to the the potential problem these companies pose. Last Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Financial Stability Oversight Council mREITs could finger mREITS as an area of vulnerability in financial markets in its annual report.