Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now

3M (MMM) recently released its second-quarter results. A quick glimpse into the quarterly report reveals this:

Revenue increased marginally compared to the comparable quarter in 2012.GAAP EPS also recorded growth. Overall margins fell across the board.Revenue Details

3M recorded revenues of $7.75 billion. This was lower than the $7.77 billion that was forecast by 11 analysts earlier polled by the S&P Capital IQ. GAAP sales equaled those of Q2 2012.
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EPS details
The EPS for the quarter was $1.71. This was equal to the earnings estimates provided by 16 analysts earlier polled by the S&P Capital IQ. The EPS was 3.0% higher than last year�� comparable quarter��.

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Margin details

Gross margin stood at 48.2%, 40 basis points lower than 2012Q2. The operating margin came in at 22%, 90 basis points lower than Q2 2012.Net margin stood at 15.4%,10 basis points lower than Q2 2012.

3M�� stock is considered a defensive stock that mainly trades on a strong-margins basis. 3M�� repeated margin weakness in the 2nd quarter has begun to become a source of worry for many investors. This does not mean that the stock is an outright loser; quite on the contrary, 3M�� growth measures up quite well when you compare it to its major peers.3M�� stock is not rated as a growth stock capable of huge growth spurts. Nevertheless, 3M shares still look overpriced right now.

Top Rising Companies To Invest In 2015: EDGAR Online Inc.(EDGR)

EDGAR Online, Inc. creates and distributes financial data and public filings for equities, mutual funds, and other publicly traded assets worldwide. The company?s data products include access to SEC filings in various formats, standardized and as-reported fundamental financial data, annual and quarterly financial statements, insider trades, institutional holdings, initial and secondary public offerings, Form 8-K disclosures, electronic prospectuses, and other investment instrument disclosure information. Its data solutions comprise the configuration of its data products; conversion of data from unstructured content into XML, extensible business reporting language (XBRL), and PDF formats; and storage and delivery of data and custom feeds, and tools to access information. The company delivers its data and analysis products through online subscriptions, embedded in other Web sites, and through redistributors. It also provides various end-user subscription services, including I-Metrix, which delivers a Web only service; I-Metrix Professional that allows a user to do in-depth analysis through the Web and a Microsoft Excel add-in; EDGAR Pro, which offers financial data, stock ownership, public offering data sets, and advanced search tools; and EDGAR Access, a retail product, which is available through single-seat credit card purchase. In addition, the company provides a mechanism that helps customers in converting financial statements into XBRL for filing with the SEC and other regulators. It serves generally financial, corporate, and advisory professionals who work in investment funds, asset management firms, insurance companies and banks, stock exchanges, and government agencies; and accounting firms, law firms, corporations, or individual investors. The company was formerly known as Cybernet Data Systems, Inc. and changed its name to EDGAR Online, Inc. in January 1999. EDGAR Online, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Rockville, Ma ryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bill Smith]

  FDS operates in a highly competitive industry, some with more resources. Their competitors include:
  Thomson Reuters Corp. (TRI)BloombergInteractive (IDC)MSCI Inc. (MXB)Morningstar Inc. (MORN)Track Data Corp. (TRAC)Edgar Online (EDGR)McGraw-Hill (MHP )

Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now: Ferrellgas Partners L.P. (FGP)

Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. engages in the distribution and sale of propane, and related equipment and supplies primarily in the United States. It transports propane to propane distribution locations, tanks on customers� premises, or to portable propane tanks delivered to retailers. The company conducts its portable tank exchange operations under the Blue Rhino brand name through a network of independent and partnership-owned distribution outlets. The company�s propane is primarily used for space heating, water heating, cooking, outdoor cooking using gas grills, crop drying, irrigation, weed control, and other propane fueled appliances; as an engine fuel for power vehicles and forklifts; and as a heating or energy source in manufacturing and drying processes. It serves approximately 1 million residential, industrial/commercial, portable tank exchange, agricultural, wholesale, and other customers in 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. As of July 31, 2012, it had 924 propane distribution locations. The company also engages in the wholesale marketing of propane appliances; sale of refined fuels; and provision of common carrier services. Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang]

  Ferrellgas Partners (FGP) �is forecast to report fiscal third-quarter earnings of 63 cents a share.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  But because SPH is more involved in the retail end of propane instead of the production/logistical side, it has been significantly outperformed by NGL Energy Partners (NYSE: NGL) and Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP). In short, the latter two are the ways to play higher propane prices, whereas SPH will see much less benefit from higher-priced propane.

Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now: Open Text Corporation (OTEX)

Open Text Corporation develops, markets, sells, licenses, and supports enterprise content management (ECM) solutions primarily in North America and Europe. The company?s ECM software and solutions enable customers to manage various types of enterprise content, including business documents, Web content, records, digital assets, email, forms and reports, forums, blogs, wikis, and real time instant messaging and collaboration. Its ECM solutions comprise various components, including document management, which provides repository for business documents, such as Microsoft office, CAD, and PDF; collaboration that offers tools designed to better facilitate people working with each other with content and processes; Web content management, which provides tools for authoring, maintaining, and administering sophisticated Web sites; and records management that enables control of the lifecycle of content objects by associating robust retention and disposition rules with each content as set. The company?s ECM solutions also provide email management services designed to enable the archiving, control, and monitoring of email; capture and delivery tools that provide the means of converting documents from analog sources; digital asset management; business process management services; content reporting tools for analyzing content and generating reports; and Open Text Everywhere that allows the Open Text ECM suite to be available via mobile devices. In addition, it offers industry specific solutions for government, technology/manufacturing, energy, financial services, pharmaceutical and life sciences, legal, and media sectors. Additionally, the company provides learning, consulting, hosting, and customer support and training services. It has strategic alliances with Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, and SAP AG. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Open Text (OTEX) is engaged in providing a suite of information management software products. This stock closed up 1% at $67.93 in Monday's trading session.

  Monday's Volume: 736,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 225,916
  
  Volume % Change: 198%

  From a technical perspective, OTEX trended modestly higher here right above some near-term support levels at $66 to $64.47 with above-average volume. This move is starting to push shares of OTEX within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if OTEX manages to take out its 50-day moving average at $69.63 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in OTEX as long as it's trending above $66 or $65 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 50-day at $69.63 with volume that hits near or above 225,916 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then OTEX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $72.44 to its 52-week high at $73.77.

Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now: UniSource Energy Corporation(UNS)

UniSource Energy Corporation engages in the electric generation and energy delivery businesses. The company?s TEP segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 403,000 retail electric customers, including residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector customers in southeastern Arizona. It also sells electricity to other utilities and power marketing entities. As of December 31, 2010, this segment owned or leased 2,245 MW of net generating capacity, as well as owned or participated in electric transmission and distribution system consisting of 512 circuit-miles of 500-kV lines; 1,087 circuit-miles of 345-kV lines; 379 circuit-miles of 138-kV lines; 478 circuit-miles of 46-kV lines; and 2,621 circuit-miles of lower voltage primary lines. TEP segment generates electricity from coal, gas, oil, and solar sources. The company?s UNS Gas segment distributes gas to approximately 146,500 retail customers in Mohave, Yavapai, Coconino, and Navajo c ounties in northern Arizona, as well as Santa Cruz County in southeastern Arizona. As of December 31, 2010, this segment?s transmission and distribution system consisted of approximately 30 miles of steel transmission mains, 4,211 miles of steel and plastic distribution piping, and 136,439 customer service lines. The company?s UNS Electric segment transmits and distributes electricity to approximately 91,000 retail customers consisting of residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Mohave and Santa Cruz counties. As of December 31, 2010, UNS Electric?s transmission and distribution system consisted of approximately 56 circuit-miles of 115-kV transmission lines, 271 circuit-miles of 69-kV transmission lines, and 3,599 circuit-miles of underground and overhead distribution lines. This segment also owns the 65 MW Valencia plant, as well as 39 substations having an installed capacity of 1,788,050 kilovolt amperes. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Tucson, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Dittman]

  And with its December 2013 offer to buy Arizona-based UNS Energy Corp (NYSE: UNS) for $2.5 billion in cash St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador-based Fortis Inc (TSX: FTS, OTC: FRTSF), making its second foray in the US in two years, signaled its interest in regulated utility assets in states with favorable population and economic trends as a means of driving its growth going forward.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  UNS Energy (NYSE: UNS) shot up 27.75 percent to $58.56 after the company agreed to be acquired by Fortis Utility Group for $60.25 per share in cash.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Fortis Inc.(FTS.T) agreed to acquire UNS Energy Corp.(UNS) for about $2.5 billion, as the Canadian utility moves to boost exposure within the U.S. by acquiring a firm with a presence in the U.S. southwest. Shares of UNS jumped 30% to $59.02 premarket.

Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now: Acuity Brands Inc (AYI)

Acuity Brands, Inc. (Acuity Brands), incorporated on September 20, 2007, is the parent company of Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. (ABL), and other subsidiaries. Acuity Brands is a provider of lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure, and residential applications throughout North America and select international markets. The Company's lighting solutions include devices, such as luminaires, lighting controls, power supplies, prismatic skylights, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, and integrated lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications utilizing a combination of light sources, including daylight, and other devices controlled by software that monitors and manages light levels while optimizing energy consumption (collectively referred to herein as lighting solutions). Effective March 14, 2013, the Company acquired eldoLED Europe BV.

The Company manufactures lighting devices primarily in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company's lighting solutions are marketed under numerous brand names, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Peerless, Mark Architectural Lighting, Hydrel, American Electric Lighting, Gotham, Carandini, RELOC, Antique Street Lamps, Tersen, Winona Lighting, Synergy Lighting Controls, Sensor Switch, Lighting Control & Design, Dark to Light, ROAM, Sunoptics, acculamp, Pathway Connectivity, and Healthcare Lighting. As of August 31, 2012, the Company manufactures products in 18 facilities in North America and two facilities in Europe.

Principal customers include electrical distributors, retail home improvement centers, electric utilities, municipalities, lighting showrooms, and energy service companies located in North America and select international markets serving new construction, renovation, and facility maintenance applications. In North America, the Company's lighting solutions are sold primarily by independent sales agents, electrical wholesalers, and factory sales representatives who cover specific geographic areas! and market channels. Products are delivered directly or through a network of distribution centers, regional warehouses, and commercial warehouses using both common carriers and a company-owned truck fleet. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), North American sales accounted for approximately 98% of net sales. The Company has one operating segment serving the North American lighting market and select international markets.

The Company provides a range of lighting solutions, as well as services used in the applications, such as lighting solutions and services. Lighting solutions and services includes commercial and institutional, industrial, infrastructure, residential and services. Commercial and Institutional includes stores, hotels, offices, schools, and hospitals, as well as other government and public buildings. Lighting solutions that serve these applications include recessed, surface, and suspended lighting products, recessed down lighting, track lighting, day lighting, and lighting controls (occupancy sensors, photocontrols, relay panels, architectural dimming panels, and integrated lighting controls systems), as well as special-use lighting products. The outdoor areas associated with these applications are addressed by a range of outdoor lighting products, such as area and flood lighting, decorative site lighting, and landscape lighting. Industrial includes primarily warehouses and manufacturing facilities, which utilize a range of general purpose, day lighting, and special-use lighting solutions. Infrastructure includes highways, tunnels, airports, railway yards, and ports. Products that serve these applications include street, area, high-mast, off-set roadway, sign lighting, poles, and integrated controls systems. Residential includes a combination of decorative, utilitarian, and down lighting products. Services include monitoring and controlling of lighting systems through network technologies.

The Company competes with Cooper Industries plc, Hu! bbell Inc! orporated, Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., OSRAM AG, Schneider Electric and General Electric Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Thursday

  Earnings Expected From: Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO), Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI), PriceSmart (NASDAQ: PSMT) Economic Releases Expected: French trade balance, British trade balance, eurozone consumer confidence, eurozone business confidence, BoE interest rate decision, Canadian housing starts

  Friday

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI) is estimated to report its Q4 earnings at $$1.02 per share on revenue of $569.33 million.

  Walgreen Co (NYSE: WAG) is projected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $17.95 billion.

• [By Mike Deane]

  Acuity Brands announced its second quarter earnings just as the opening bell rang on Wednesday, with the company posting slightly higher revenue and earnings than last year’s Q2.�

  AYI’s Earnings in Brief

  AYI reported fourth quarter revenues of $546.2 million, an increase of 12% million from last year’s Q2 revenues of $486.7 million. Net income for the quarter came in at $77.2 million, up from $50.8 million reported for last year’s Q2. The company�� diluted EPS for Q2 was 75 cents, an increase from last year’s 57 cent EPS. AYI missed analysts’ estimates of 83 cents EPS on revenues of $553.95 million. Looking ahead, AYI has a positive outlook on the lighting industry, and sees growth and strong demand.

  CEO Commentary

  AYI’s chairman, president and CEO, Vernon J. Nagel, had the following comments: “We were very pleased with our fiscal 2014 second quarter results as we continued to execute our strategies to extend our leadership position in North America. While we believe inclement winter weather in certain parts of the U.S. dampened customer orders during the quarter and somewhat impacted our operations, the year-over-year increase in net sales reflects continued favorable trends in order rates as well as the continued adoption of LED lighting solutions, which again more than doubled over the prior year. Sales of LED-based luminaires now represent 30 percent of our�net sales. We believe our second quarter results reflect our ability to provide customers truly differentiated value from our industry-leading portfolio of innovative lighting and control solutions along with superior service.”

  AYI’s Dividend

  Acuity is paying its next dividend on May 1, and its stock goes ex-dividend on April 15. The company pays a quarterly dividend of 13 cents, which has not been touched since 2007.

  Stock Performance

  AYI stock was up slightly on Wednesday morning. YTD, the c

• [By Steve Symington]

  That said, both UDC and its licensed customers have long remained hard at work continuously improving both the efficiency and utility of OLED lighting solutions, with those lighting-centric customers most notably including electronics giants like Philips (NYSE: PHG  ) �and their respective Lumiblade series, design extraordinaire�Acuity Brands (NYSE: AYI  ) , and LG Chem, which reportedly plans to begin mass-producing the flexible OLED lighting panels shown in the video below, as soon as September:

Hot Defensive Stocks To Own Right Now: Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd (STBFY)

Suntory Beverage & Food Limited is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of beverages and food. The Company operates in two geographical segments. The Domestic segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of various soft drinks within Japan, such as coffee drinks, mineral water, green tea drinks, tea drinks, carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, functional beverages, milk beverages, and food for specified health use, as well as syrup for general and business usage. The International segment is engaged in the manufacture and sale of carbonated drinks, fruit juice drinks, health food, seasoning, tea-based beverages and others, with operations in Europe, Oceania, Asia and the Americas. As of May 29, 2013, the Company had 80 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. On October 15, 2013, the Company acquired Lucozade Ribena Suntory Limited. On December 12, 2013, the Company acquired Suntory Beverage & Food Europe Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charles Sizemore]

  Let�� start with Suntory Beverage & Food Limited (STBFY),which recently completed its acquisition of�Beam Inc., formerly the purest play on bourbon. Beam was the owner of the eponymous Jim Beam brand, as well as the higher-end Maker�� Mark and Knob Creek and the lower-end Old Crow.�Suntory is Japan�� leading spirits company, though most Americans will be unfamiliar with its Japanese whisky brands, such as Yamazaki and Hakushu. (Note for booze snobs: Japanese whisky��ike Scotch and Canadian whisky��s correctly spelled ��hisky.��American bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and Irish whiskey are correctly spelled ��hiskey.��