Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014

Monster Beverage Corp (NASDAQ: MNST), a mid cap marketer and distributor of energy drinks and alternative beverages, has been a monster of a performer since the end of the financial crisis as the stock is up around 308% over the past five years, but could new or overlooked players like small cap beverage stocks�Jones Soda Co (OTCMKTS: JSDA), Celsius Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: CELH) and Konared Corp (OTCBB: KRED) repeat that performance? A look strictly at the long term performance of all three small caps might have you thinking otherwise. After all, none of these small cap beverage stocks are profitable while�the beverage industry can be a long hard expensive slog just to increase market share by one or two points when you are competing for shelf space with industry giants like Pepsi and Coke. But past performance is just that���the past and only part of the story as there is much more to consider about these small cap beverage stocks which could also make them potential acquisition targets by larger beverage players seeking to expand their product line up with innovative products:

Hot Construction Companies For 2015: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc., a package delivery company, provides transportation, logistics, and financial services in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. The U.S. Domestic Package segment engages in the time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages in the United States. The International Package segment offers air and ground delivery of small packages and letters to approximately 220 countries and territories, including shipments outside the United States, as well as shipments with either origin or distribution outside the United States; export services; and domestic services move shipments within a country?s borders. The Supply Chain & Freight segment provides forwarding and logistics services, such as supply chain design and management, freight distribution, customs brokerage, mail, and consulting services in approximately 195 countries and territorie s; and less-than-truckload and truckload services to customers in North America. In addition, the company offers various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, and billing; information technology systems and distribution facilities to various industries comprising healthcare, technology, and consumer/retail; and a portfolio of financial services that provides customers with short-term working capital, government guaranteed lending, global trade financing, credit cards, and export financing. It operates a fleet of approximately 99,800 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; an air fleet of 527 aircraft; and 33,800 containers used to transport cargo in its aircraft. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]

  United Parcel Services Inc.(UPS) plans to increase general rates by 4.4% at the end of March, a move that comes after rival FedEx Corp.(FDX) also said it would raise its shipping rates.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The express-delivery company has gained 28% during the past three months, trumping the 18% return from�United Parcel Service�(UPS), the 4.6% gain in J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and the 0.2% rise in Expeditors International of Washington�(EXPD).

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  Similarly, United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) took a significant charge associated with its pension shortly after making the cut as an iPIG pick. That charge knocked the company's debt-to-equity ratio above the iPIG portfolio's buy criteria and sent the business' dividend payout ratio above 100% of earnings. That was a painful charge for the company, but one that could have absolutely sunk a less well prepared business. So rather than dump the company, the iPIG portfolio is watching to see how well it recovers.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: PFSweb Inc.(PFSW)

PFSweb, Inc. provides business process outsourcing and ecommerce solutions in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It offers digital marketing services comprising search engine optimization, pay-per-click, affiliate marketing, comparison shopping engines, merchandising, Web analytics, customer experience, email marketing, and social media; and ecommerce technology services, including End2End eCommerce solution for the direct-to-consumer (DTC) and business-to-business (B2B) online channels. The company also provides order management services consisting of order management interfaces, collaboration technologies, and information management services; customer care services, including customer relationship management, customer order assistance, quality monitoring, and interactive voice response; and logistics and fulfillment services comprising distribution facilities and infrastructure, facility operations and management, kitting and assembly, and product management and insp ection. In addition, it offers financial management services consisting of billing, credit, collection, and cash application services for B2B clients, as well as fraud review, chargeback management, and processing and settlement credit card services for DTC clients; and professional consulting services in the areas of interactive marketing ecommerce, supply chain management, distribution and fulfillment, technology interfacing, logistics, and customer support. Further, the company provides seller services financial models, including enablement financial, agent or flash financial, and retail financial models. It serves fashion apparel and accessories, fragrance and beauty products, consumer packaged goods, home furnishings and housewares, consumer electronics, office technology and network connectivity products, and aviation spare parts industries. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Allen, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Technology stocks gained Thursday, with Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included LiveDeal (NASDAQ: LIVE), with shares up 5.5 percent, and PFSweb (NASDAQ: PFSW), with shares up 5.4 percent.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Signet Jewelers Limited(SIG)

Signet Jewelers Limited operates as a specialty jewelry retailer in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Channel Islands. The company retails jewelry, watches, and associated services. As of January 28, 2012, it operated a network of 1,318 stores in 50 states in the United States that trade nationally in malls and off-mall locations as ?Kay Jewelers?, and regionally under various mall-based brands, as well as operated as destination superstores under the ?Jared The Galleria Of Jewelry? trade name. The company also operated a network of 535 stores in the United Kingdom, including 14 stores in the Republic of Ireland and 3 in the Channel Islands under the ?H.Samuel?, ?Ernest Jones?, and ?Leslie Davis? trade names in high street locations and shopping malls. Signet Jewelers Limited was founded in 1950 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Signet Jewelers (NYSE: SIG  ) reported earnings on May 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended May 4 (Q1), Signet Jewelers missed estimates on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share.

• [By Dan Moskowitz]

  Peer comparisons
  It's clear that Zale has potential going forward, but while past performance doesn't guarantee future results, it's often a very good indicator of management capabilities. With that in mind, consider the revenue performance for Zale compared to that of�Tiffany (NYSE: TIF  ) , as well as Signet Jewelers (NYSE: SIG  ) , over the past five years:

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Pacific Biosciences of California Inc.(PACB)

Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc., a development stage company, develops, manufactures, and markets an integrated platform for genetic analysis. The company engages in developing a technology platform that enables single molecule, real-time (SMRT) for the detection of biological processes. It primarily focuses on the deoxyribonucleic acid sequencing market. The company?s product includes the PacBio RS, a sequencing platform, which consists of an instrument platform that uses its proprietary consumables, such as SMRT Cells and reagent kits. The company?s customers include genome centers, genomics service providers, and agricultural companies, as well as clinical, government, and academic institutions. Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  However, Fool biotech expert Brian Orelli points out one big caveat: Once sequencing companies make these tests accessible, margins may collapse beyond the ability of volume sales to make up the difference. At least Illumina (and Life Tech) are in the driver's seat on margins, as it's unlikely that lesser-funded sequencing competitors Affymetrix (NASDAQ: AFFX  ) and Pacific Biosciences (NASDAQ: PACB  ) can muster the resources to push out sequencing at cost-effective scale before their peers.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Mistras Group Inc (MG)

Mistras Group, Inc. provides technology-enabled asset protection solutions to evaluate the structural integrity and reliability of critical energy, industrial, and public infrastructure worldwide. It provides traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) services; advanced NDT services; and mechanical integrity services. The company also offers software solutions, including Plant Condition Monitoring Software and Systems, an enterprise software that allows its customers for the warehousing and analysis of data. In addition, it provides Advanced Data Analysis Pattern Recognition and Neural Networks software, which enables acoustic emission (AE) experts to develop automated remote monitoring systems; AE Software Platform, a windows based real time application software; Loose Parts Monitoring Software program for monitoring, detecting, and evaluating metallic loose parts in nuclear reactor coolant systems; and Automated UT and Imaging Analysis Software for analyzing ultrasonic in spection data, and visualizing and identifying the location and size of flaws. Further, the company�s technology packages include TANKPAC for tank inspections; POWERPAC for monitoring discharges in critical power grid transformers; and Acoustic Combustion Turbine Monitoring System, an on-line system to detect stator blade cracks in gas turbines. Additionally, it offers digital radiographic systems to solve specific industrial problems; AE sensors, instruments, and turn-key systems, as well as leak monitoring and detection systems; ultrasonic equipment; vibration sensing products; and on-line monitoring services. Mistras Group, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Mistras Group (NYSE: MG) shares fell 7.71% to $20.47 after the company reported downbeat Q3 earnings and lowered its FY14 EBITDA forecast

  WD-40 Company (NASDAQ: WDFC) slipped 5.58% to $73.48 after the company reported weaker-than-expected FQ2 earnings.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Stock in Mistras Group Inc. (MG) �rose 6.9% to $23.99 on light volume after the company raised its revenue outlook for the year to a range of $590 million to $615 million. Analysts expected $592.1 million.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Mistras Group (NYSE: MG) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.12 per share on revenue of $130.10 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Mistras Group (NYSE: MG) shares tumbled 3.97 percent to $21.30 after the company reported downbeat Q3 earnings and lowered its FY14 EBITDA forecast.