Top 5 Retail Companies To Buy For 2014

Early on Monday, lawn and garden care products maker Scotts Miracle-Gro Co (SMG) announced that it has reach an agreement to acquire Tomcat, a consumer rodent control business, from Bell Laboratories. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“This transaction is consistent with the strategic direction we have articulated,” said Jim Hagedorn, chairman and chief executive officer of Scotts Miracle-Grow. “It is complementary to our existing controls business and fills a gap in our current product offering.”

The acquisition includes the Tomcat brand, as well as a long-term partnership to bring innovative technologies to the consumer rodent control market. Tomcat products are sold in home centers, mass retailers, and other stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Watch Right Now: ALCO Stores Inc (ALCS)

Alco Stores, Inc., incorporated on June 2, 1915, is engaged in the business of retailing general merchandise throughout the central portion of the United States of America through a range of department store outlets. The Company�� ALCO stores offer a range of merchandise consisting of approximately 35,000 items, including automotive, commodities, crafts, domestics, electronics, furniture, hardware, health and beauty aids, housewares, jewelry, ladies�� men�� and children�� apparel and shoes, pre-recorded music and video, sporting goods, seasonal items, stationery and toys.

As of February 3, 2013, the Company operated 217 stores in 23 states located in mostly smaller communities in the central United States. The stores average approximately 21,000 square feet of selling space, with an additional 5,000 square feet utilized for merchandise processing, temporary storage and administration.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  ALCO Stores (NASDAQ: ALCS) is projected to post its Q2 earnings.

  Digital Cinema Destinations (NASDAQ: DCIN) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $11.17 million.

Top 5 Retail Companies To Buy For 2014: Yum! Brands Inc.(YUM)

YUM! Brands, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a quick service restaurant company in the United States and internationally. It develops, operates, franchises, and licenses a system of restaurants, which prepare, package, and sell various food items, as well as operates Chinese casual dining concept restaurants. The company?s restaurants specialize in chicken, pizza, and Mexican-style food categories. It operates approximately 37,000 restaurants in 110 countries and territories under the KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell brands, as well as approximately 450 casual dining concept restaurants in China. The company was formerly known as TRICON Global Restaurants, Inc. and changed its name to YUM! Brands, Inc. in May 2002. YUM! Brands, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  Investors have been losing their appetite for Yum Brands (YUM). Just look at yesterday�� performance: the stock plunged 7%, down to $66.50. YUM�� year-to-date return is now about 0%.

• [By Melvin Backman]

  Fast food funny business: Fast food giants McDonald's (MCD) and Yum! Brands (YUM), which runs KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, are dealing with a tainted meat scandal in China.

• [By Alyce Lomax]

  That puts Chipotle in a bullish light right now, following the hit the stock took last year. Much of that bearishness related to shaky theories�-- for example, that Yum! Brands' (NYSE: YUM  ) Taco Bell was somehow a contender with its own fast-food version of Mexican fare.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Yum Brands owns and operates KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell restaurants around the world. The company on Monday�reported results for the fourth-quarter ended December 28, 2013, which left investors optimistic. The stock has been trading sideways, but is currently surging higher. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing and revenues have been on the rise. However, investors have been optimistic about the company�� recent earnings announcement. Relative to its peers and sector, Yum Brands has been a poor year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Yum Brands does in coming quarters.

Top 5 Retail Companies To Buy For 2014: Vipshop Holdings Ltd (VIPS)

Vipshop Holdings Limited (Vipshop Holdings), incorporated on August 27, 2010, is a holding company. Vipshop Holdings conducts its business through its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entity in the People's Republic of China. The Company is engaged in the online discount retailer for various brands. It offers branded products to consumers in China through flash sales on its vipshop.com Website. As of February 17, 2012, it had the rights to sell selective products from over 360 brands. As of December 31, 2011, it had offered diversified product offerings from over 1,900 popular domestic and international brands on its Website, including Aimer, A-life, Bossini, Disney, FOX, Harry Potter, Kappa, KUHLE, Lily, Limi, Mentholatum, Metersbonwe, MEXICAN, Ochirly and Pepsi. As of December 31, 2011, it owned seven registered trademarks, copyrights to six software programs developed by the Company, and four registered domain names, such as vipshop.com, vipshop.com.cn, vipshop.cn and vipshop.net.

In February 2014, the Company announced that it has acquired a 75 % interest in Lefeng.com Limited from Ovation Entertainment Limited.

The Company�� business model provides an online shopping for its customers. It offers new sales events with a selection of popular branded products at discounted prices in limited quantities during limited time periods. As of February 17, 2012, its total number of customers were 0.9 million, representing 60.6% of the total number of its customers. The Company offers a curated selection of apparel, fashion goods, cosmetics, home goods and lifestyle products from popular domestic and international brands. Its Product Category include womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, handbags, children, sportswear and sporting goods, cosmetics, home goods and other, lifestyle products, luxury goods and gifts and miscellaneous.

The Company competes with B2C e-commerce, Taobao Mall, 360Buy and Dangdang.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3��old, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��eutral�� A Hold rating indicates that the stock, over the next 1 to 3 months, will perform at an annualized rate of 10.56%, very similar to the S&P 500. For investors looking for a better Zacks Rank, Bitauto Holdings Limited (BITA), E-Commerce China Dangdang Inc. (DANG) and Vipshop Holdings Limited (VIPS) could be better options.

Top 5 Retail Companies To Buy For 2014: Target Corporation(TGT)

Target Corporation operates general merchandise stores in the United States. The company offers household essentials, including pharmacy, beauty, personal care, baby care, cleaning, and paper products; hardlines comprising music, movies, books, computer software, sporting goods, and toys, as well as electronics that comprise video game hardware and software; apparel and accessories consisting of apparel for women, men, boys, girls, toddlers, infants, and newborns; and intimate apparel, jewelry, accessories, and shoes. It also provides food and pet supplies, including dry grocery, dairy, frozen food, beverages, candy, snacks, deli, bakery, meat, produce, and pet supplies; and home furnishings and d�or, such as furniture, lighting, kitchenware, small appliances, home d�or, bed and bath, home improvement, and automotive products, as well as seasonal merchandise, which include patio furniture and holiday d�or. The company sells its merchandise products under private-labe l and exclusive licensed brands. In addition, it provides in-store amenities. As of January 28, 2012, Target Corporation operated 1,763 stores in 49 states and the District of Columbia under Target and SuperTarget names. Further, it offers general merchandise through its Website, Target.com. The company distributes its merchandise through a network of distribution centers, as well as third parties and direct shipping from vendors. Additionally, it offers credit to guests through its branded proprietary credit cards, the Target Visa Credit Card and the Target Credit Card, as well as through its branded proprietary Target Debit Card. Target Corporation was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are Target Corp.(TGT), Tyson Foods Inc.(TSN) and Pfizer Inc.(PFE)

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Target has been a long-term winner, and that�� not likely to change. However, a significant hit to the stock price is�possible if the market suffers a steep correction. The good news is that Target would most likely recover.