5 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014

Bank of America(BAC) Merrill Lynch is pointing the finger at exchange-traded funds for the big selloff in biotech stocks.

Biotech stocks were, and still are, some of the market�� best-performing stocks over the past year. But waves of selling in recent weeks hit these stocks hard, with big price swings in heavily traded ETFs including the $4.9 billion iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF(IBB) (IBB). In March, the ETF has dropped 11%, despite a 2.5% advance today.

��he recent sell-off in high growth industries has been ETF driven, as mutual funds have been net buyers over the last several weeks,��said Savita Subramanian, head of U.S. equity and quantitative strategy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

She points to three straight weeks of outflows from biotech ETFs, culminating in $1 billion of withdrawals in the week ended March 26. By comparison, traditional biotechnology stock mutual funds have taken in money for four straight weeks, though they were nearly flat in the most recent week, taking in a paltry $3 million.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Own Right Now: Jack In The Box Inc.(JACK)

Jack in the Box Inc. operates and franchises Jack in the Box quick-service restaurants and Qdoba Mexican Grill fast-casual restaurants. As of February 22, 2012, it operated and franchised 2,200 Jack in the Box restaurants in 20 states in the United States; and 600 Qdoba Mexican Grill restaurants in 42 states and the District of Columbia. The company was founded in 1951 and is based in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang]

  Jack in the Box Inc. (JACK) �is expected to post earnings of 52 cents a share in the second quarter.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Jack In The Box Inc. (JACK) �shares fell 0.9% to $53.50 on moderate volume after the fast-food chain reported adjusted third-quarter earnings of 51 cents a share on revenue of $340.9 million. Analysts estimated 52 cents a share on revenue of $338.9 million.

• [By Andrew Marder]

  Actually, that's not entirely true. Panera's drop pulled it closer to companies such as Darden (NYSE: DRI  ) -- operator of Red Lobster and Olive Garden -- and Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK  ) , which also runs Qdoba. It fell away from what seems like its closest competitor, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX  ) . But that's not necessarily a bad thing for investors.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited(NEP)

China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited engages in the exploration and production of crude oil in northern China. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 295 producing wells with proven reserves of 5,476,200 barrels of crude oil at Qian?an 112, Hetingbao 301, Daan 34, and Gudian 31 oilfields. The company, through its subsidiary, Song Yuan Tiancheng Drilling Engineering Co., Ltd., provides contract land drilling and other oilfield services for state-owned and non-state-owned oil companies. China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited is headquartered in Song Yuan City, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Dittman]

  Question: Dave, any thoughts on NextEra Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NEP)? And, if you can build on that, maybe talk about how to approach an initial public offering (IPO) in general. Thanks.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: Medbox Inc (MDBX)

Medbox Inc. (Medbox) offers a machine that dispenses medication to individuals based on biometric identification (fingerprint sample). The machine allows pharmacies, hospitals, doctors' offices, and alternative medicine clinics to manage employee possession of sensitive drugs. The system also allows these clinics to demonstrate that the user visiting the machine is a registered patient and that the patient has a valid and unexpired authorization from a physician to possess and use the medicine dispensed. The Company has national and international presence with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, London and Tokyo.

Medbox, through its subsidiaries, offers consulting services to the alternative medicine industry, as well as to the mini self-storage market. The Company provides consulting services primarily to individuals and groups seeking to establish new clinics and facilities, often in jurisdictions that have recently passed legislation concerning the availability of alternative medicines, as well as existing jurisdictions, nationwide.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  What�� the Catch With Endocan Corp? According to various disclosures, a transaction or transactions of $10k has or will occur to mention Endocan Corp in various investment newsletters. However, Endocan Corp has actually been quiet since early February when the company issued a press release to say that they were ��elighted��that the US Congress and President Obama appear on the verge of approving the first key law to legalize hemp cultivation and advanced research on a federal level (Note: On January 29, 2014, the US House of Representatives approved the "farm bill" that contains a provision for certain cultivation of industrial hemp for research in a number of US states). Endocan Corp also issued ��hareholder guidance��concerning an multi-year, strategic growth agreement with Medicine Dispensing Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Medbox Inc (OTCMKTS: MDBX), that was announced on August 20, 2013. Under that agreement, Endocan Corp will be bringing proprietary cannabinoid-based products and formulations to market in state-approved regulatory environments with dispensaries to be branded by the company while using the advanced, patented 'Medbox' dispensing technology. However, the latest financials for Endocan Corp date from the end of March 2013 ��meaning the company has some catching up to do.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap marijuana stocks Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS: MJNA), Cannabis Science Inc (OTCMKTS: CBIS), Medbox Inc (OTCMKTS: MDBX), Growlife Inc (OTCBB: PHOT) and HEMP, Inc (OTCMKTS: HEMP) were all surging by double digits yesterday thanks in part to legal sales of pot beginning in Colorado.

5 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2014: The Blackstone Group L.P.(BX)

The Blackstone Group, L.P., together with its subsidiaries, provides alternative asset management and financial advisory services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions, Credit Businesses, and Financial Advisory. The Private Equity segment involves in private equity investing through five general private equity funds and one specialized fund focusing on communications-related investments. This segment engages in various transactions comprising leveraged buyout acquisitions of seasoned companies, transactions involving growth equity or start-up businesses in established industries, minority investments, corporate partnerships, distressed debt, structured securities, and industry consolidations. The Real Estate segment manages general opportunistic real estate funds and internationally focused opportunistic real estate funds. This segment also has debt investment funds targeting non-controlling real estate debt-rel ated investment opportunities in the public and private markets, primarily in the United States and Europe. The Hedge Fund Solutions segment manages funds of hedge funds, and Indian-focused and Asian-focused closed-end mutual funds. The Credit Businesses segment manages credit-oriented funds, CLOs, credit-focused separately managed accounts, and publicly registered debt-focused investment companies. The Financial Advisory segment offers financial and strategic advisory, including corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions advice; restructuring and reorganization advisory; and fund placement services for alternative investment funds. Blackstone Group Management L.L.C. operates as the general partner of the company. The Blackstone Group, L.P. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jay Jenkins]

  For investors, the answers to these questions will lead to a long-term darling in the market or to a likely dud. In the video below, Motley Fool contributor Jay Jenkins discusses the strategy behind risk and reward, and points to some case studies in recent history of winners (Blackstone Group� (NYSE: BX  ) ) and losers (Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) ).