Best Income Companies To Buy For 2014

Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.

Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.

Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Myers Industries (NYSE: MYE  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Semiconductor Companies To Watch For 2015: Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (KRNGF)

Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (Karoon Gas) is an Australia-based exploration company. The Company is principally engaged in the hydrocarbon exploration and evaluation in Australia, Brazil and Peru. The Company operates in three segments: Australia, Brazil and Peru exploration. The Company�� Australia segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in four offshore permit areas: WA-314-P, WA-315-P, WA-398-P and WA-482-P; The Company in its Brazil segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in five offshore blocks including Block S-M-1037, Block S-M-1101, Block S-M-1102, Block S-M-1165 and Block S-M-1166. The Company under its Peru exploration segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in two blocks in Peru, including Block 144 (onshore) and Block Z-38 (offshore). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks gave ground in early Friday trading, with banks broadly lower after overnight losses in the U.S., where investors worried that better-than-expected data would prompt the Federal Reserve to roll back stimulus soon. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) lost 0.4% to 5,178.30, as National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) fell 1.8%, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) lost 0.8%, and Macquarie Group Ltd. (AU:MQG) (MCQEF) retreated 1.3%. Among the resource shares, losses for gold both in New York and in early Asian electronic trade helped send Evolution Mining Ltd. (AU:EVN) (CAHPF) down 1.9% and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) off 4.5%, though Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) held the drop to 0.4%. Oil prices managed a modest gain, however, resulting in a 0.2% rise for Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) , while Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (AU:WPL)

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks seesawed in early Monday trade, with gains for miners and energy names helping support the market, as the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) sat 0.1% higher at 5,325.90 after changing direction several times. Official Chinese data showing manufacturing holding its growth rate in October appeared to help some miners, as did gains for some commodity prices. Shares of Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.5%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 0.7%, Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) advanced 1%, and Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (AU:WHC) improved by 1.9%. Likewise, an advance for gold futures sent Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) rallying 3.4%, and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) up 2.9%. Energy shares also traded higher, with Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) up 1.3%, and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) adding 1.7%. On the downside, retailers were mostly lower, with David Jones Ltd. (AU:DJS) (DVDJF)

Best Income Companies To Buy For 2014: PacWest Bancorp(PACW)

PacWest Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for Pacific Western Bank that provides commercial banking products and services to small to medium size businesses, the owners and employees of those businesses, and households primarily in Southern California. It accepts time, money market, and demand deposits; originates loans, including commercial, real estate construction, SBA guaranteed, and consumer loans; and provides other business-oriented products. The company also provides asset-based lending and factoring of accounts receivable to small businesses located in Arizona, California, and the Pacific Northwest. In addition, it offers international banking, multi-state deposit, and investment services; telephone and online banking services; and foreign exchange services, as well as issues automated teller machine and debit cards. Further, the company, through its subsidiary, BFI Business Finance, and its division First Community Financial, provides working capital f inancing to growing companies primarily located in the states of Arizona, California, and Texas. As of July 18, 2011, it operated through 77 full-service community banking branches in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, San Diego, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, and Ventura Counties in California; and Maricopa County in Arizona. The company was formerly known as First Community Bancorp and changed its name to PacWest Bancorp in April 2008. PacWest Bancorp was founded in 1999 and is based in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of CapitalSource (NYSE: CSE  ) soared 20% today after bank holding company PacWest Bancorp (NASDAQ: PACW  ) agreed to acquire the financial services specialist in a deal valued at about $2.3 billion.

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In this segment of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show,�Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss the recent announcement of PacWest Bancorp's (NASDAQ: PACW  ) intention to buy CapitalSource (NYSE: CSE  ) .

Best Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Manhattan Bridge Capital Inc (LOAN)

Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. offers short-term, secured, non?banking loans to real estate investors to fund the acquisition and construction of properties located in New York Metropolitan area. Its loans are principally secured by collateral consisting of real estate and accompanied by personal guarantees from the principals of the businesses. The company offers its loan products primarily through the company?s officers and independent loan brokers. Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week was from short-term secured non-banking real estate lender Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN) which raised its quarterly dividend 100% to 2 cents per share, payable on Aug. 20 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 15.
  LOAN Dividend Yield: 0.4%

Best Income Companies To Buy For 2014: Medical Action Industries Inc.(MDCI)

Medical Action Industries Inc. develops, manufactures, markets, and supplies various disposable medical products primarily in the United States. It offers custom procedure trays that include orthopedic, cath lab/radiology, labor and delivery, cardiac, ophthalmology, tissue procurement, neurology, robotic, gynecological, vascular, urology, cosmetic/plastic surgery, anesthesia/pain, bariatric, and general/other trays; minor procedure kits and trays, such as central line dressing, suture removal, laceration, incision and drainage, general purpose instrument, wound dressing change, sharp debridement, venipuncture, ear and ulcer syringes, trach care, and irrigation trays, as well as razor and shave prep kits, piston syringes, and I.V. start kits; and operating room disposables and sterilization products comprising surgical marking pens, needle counters, light shields, convenience kits, surgical headwear and shoe covers, isolation gowns, instrument protection, eye-shields, sutur e boots, basin separators, reel cutters, patient aids, crutches, walkers, canes, patient slippers, O.R. basins, magnetic drapes, guide wire bowls, bowie dick test packs, vessel loops, anti-fog solutions, heat sealers, and tray liners. The company also provides patient bedside products consisting of wash basins, bedpans, pitchers and carafes, urinals, emesis basins, soap dishes, medicine and denture cups, tumblers, sitz baths, service trays, and perineal bottles; dressings and surgical sponges, which include burn dressings, sponge counting systems, elastic nets, and bandage rolls; containment systems for medical waste, such as waste solidifier and spill cleanup kits, and equipment dust and sterility maintenance covers; and laboratory products comprising petri dishes, containers, collectors, calculi strainers, and vials. It sells its products primarily to acute care facilities through a network of direct sales personnel. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Brentwood, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Thomas Scarlett]

  The medical device market keeps expanding, as new technologies are constantly introduced and the need for health care by the U.S. population keeps growing. One of the most dynamic companies in this sector is Medical Action Industries Inc.�(NASDAQ: MDCI).
  
  Medical Action is a manufacturer and distributor of disposable medical devices, and a leader in many of the markets where it competes. Its products are marketed primarily to acute care facilities in domestic and certain international markets. The company has recently expanded its target market to include physician, dental and veterinary offices, out-patient surgery centers, long-term care facilities and laboratories.
  
  Medical Action’s products are marketed nationally by its direct sales personnel and extensive network of health care distributors. The firm has preferred vendor agreements with several national and regional distributors, as well as sole and multi-source agreements with group purchasing organizations.
  
  Concerns about contamination, infection, or imperfection in medical supplies have never been higher. Medical Action has earned a solid reputation for producing reliable, well-crafted medical tools.
  
  The company has moved to a dominant position in the operating room supplies market in just a few years. Among the company�� products are sutures, laparotomy sponges, operating room basins and various sterility monitoring products. It also offers clinical care market products, which include custom procedure trays and minor procedure kits. Medical Action has a strong record of developing new products and getting them approved by the Food and Drug Administration in a timely manner.
  
  As the population ages and more Americans are covered by Medicare, while younger Americans have more access under the Affordable Care Act, the earnings potential of well-managed health care providers and the companies that supply them with tools will only grow.
  
  The company�� first-qu

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 health care player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Medical Action Industries (MDCI), which develops, manufactures, markets and supplies a variety of disposable medical products. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 129%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Medical Action Industries, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last month and change, with shares moving between $5.84 on the downside and $6.76 on the upside. Shares of MDCI are now starting to spike higher right off its 50-day moving average of $6.09 a share, and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in MDCI if it manages to break out above its 200-day moving average at $6.67 a share and then once it takes out some more key overhead resistance levels at $6.76 to $7.13 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 98,989 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then MDCI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9.50 to $10 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MDCI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels a $5.84 to $5.50 a share. One can also buy MDCI off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.