Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of biotechnologist Avanir Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVNR  ) surged as high as 21% today after a European regulatory body recommended approval of is drug Nuedexta.

So what: The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, recommended that Nuedexta be used to treat pseudobulbar affect, or PBA, in Europe, quickly triggering plenty of optimism over Avanir's revenue growth going forward. Unfortunately for Avanir bulls, however, the stock has drifted down steadily ever since the opening surge, suggesting that the news isn't as huge as investors initially thought.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: icad inc. (ICAD)

iCAD, Inc. provides image analysis and workflow solutions that enable radiologists and other healthcare professionals to identify pathologies and pinpoint cancer earlier. It offers CAD solutions for digital and film-based mammography systems, including SecondLook systems, which analyze data, and automatically identify and mark suspicious regions in the images; and SecondLook Digital, a computer server residing on a customer�s network that receives patient studies from the imaging modality, performs CAD analysis, and sends the CAD results to PACS and/or review workstations. The company also offers image analysis and workflow solutions in MRI imaging, including SpectraLook for breast, VividLook for prostate, and OmniLook for other organs; and VersaVue Enterprise, a review and reporting solution that provides visual and quantitative depictions of the movement of contrast agent through a lesion. In addition, it offers VeraLook, which supports the detection of colonic polyps i n conjunction with CT colonography; The TotalLook MammoAdvantage system, a mammography specific digitizer; and Axxent eBx, which is used for the treatment of early stage breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and skin cancer, as well as for the treatment of other cancers or conditions where radiation therapy is indicated. The company sells its products to hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and free standing radiation oncology facilities. It sells its products directly, as well as through various original equipment manufacturer partners, distributors, and resellers worldwide. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: Cornerstone OnDemand Inc.(CSOD)

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. provides learning and talent management solution delivered as software-as-a-service. The company offers three integrated cloud-based solutions for learning management, performance management, and extended enterprise. Its Cornerstone Learning Cloud helps clients deliver and manage enterprise training and development programs, as well as links employee development to other parts of the talent management lifecycle, including performance management and succession planning. The company?s Cornerstone Performance Cloud allows clients to direct and measure performance at the individual, departmental, and organizational level through competency management, organizational goal setting, performance appraisal, compensation management, and development planning. Its Cornerstone Extended Enterprise Cloud helps clients extend learning and talent management to their customers, vendors, and distributors. The company also offers consulting services comprising impl ementation, integration, content, business consulting, and educational services; and account services, as well as resells third-party e-learning content. Its clients include multi-national corporations, large domestic enterprises, mid-market companies, public sector organizations, higher education institutions, and non-profit entities. The company sells its solution and services directly through its own sales force in North America and Europe; and indirectly through domestic and international network of distributors. Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

10 Best Insurance Stocks To Own Right Now: Iron Mountain Incorporated(IRM)

Iron Mountain Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides information management services primarily in North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers records management services, including records management program development and implementation based on best-practices to help customers comply with specific regulatory requirements; implementation of policy-based programs that feature storage for various media comprising paper; flexible retrieval access and retention management; hybrid services to help organizations gain control over their paper records; and specialized services for vital records and regulated industries, such as healthcare, energy, government, and financial services. It also provides data protection and recovery services, such as disaster preparedness; off-site vaulting of data backup media for data recovery in the event of a disaster, human error, or virus; online backup and recovery solutions for desktop and la ptop computers, and remote servers; and technology escrow services to protect and manage source code and other proprietary information. In addition, the company offers information destruction services that primarily consist of physical secure shredding operations; and is involved in the shredding of sensitive documents to third-party recyclers. Further, it provides fulfillment services that assemble custom marketing packages and orders, as well as provide reporting on customer marketing literature inventories; and professional consulting services to develop and implement comprehensive records and information management programs. Iron Mountain Incorporated serves commercial, legal, banking, health care, accounting, insurance, entertainment, and government organizations. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Goodwin]

  In Q3 2010, Buffett sold his entire holding of 8 million shares at an average price of $22.33.

  In 2010, revenues inched up by 3.78% to $3.12 billion, but GAAP EPS fell into negative territory to -$0.27. However, the profit margin improved to 59.90% from 57.82%. With a net margin of -1.6%, IRM is less profitable than the Commercial Services & Supplies industry median. The next earnings release is on April 25. For Q1 2011, analysts estimate IRM will earn $0.27 per share, an increase of 116.43% over the prior year first quarter results. For the first quarter 2011, analysts estimate IRM will generate revenues of $790.3 million, an increase of 1.77% over the prior year first quarter results. IRM shares trade well above our fair value estimates, and it should be near trading no more than $30 per share. Also, the company will continue to be hurt by the lackadaisical global economy.

  Iron Mountain Incorporated provides information management services that help organizations lower the costs, risks and inefficiencies of managing their physical and digital data.. Founded in 1951, Iron Mountain manages billions of information assets, including business records, electronic files, medical data, emails and more for organizations around the world.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: Rovi Corporation(ROVI)

Rovi Corporation provides digital entertainment technology solutions for the discovery and management of entertainment content. It offers interactive program guides; embedded licensing technologies, such as recommendations and search capability; media recognition technologies; licensing of the company?s database of descriptive information about television, movie, music, books, and game content; and analog content protection technologies and services. The company?s interactive program guides technology is an interactive listing of television or video program information that enables viewers to navigate through, sort, select, and schedule video programming for viewing and recording. The company also provides video delivery solutions, such as compression-decompression technology (codec) to enable distribution of content across the Internet and through recordable media in physical or streamed forms; and media manager, a personal computer application enabling consumers to man age personal media files, including music, photos, and video files. In addition, it offers digital copy solution for consumer electronics devices and PC software applications; the Rovi Entertainment Store video delivery solutions; content authoring solutions; and advertising solutions. Rovi Corporation primarily serves companies in the consumer electronics, cable and satellite, entertainment, and online distribution markets. The company was formerly known as Macrovision Solutions Corporation and changed its name to Rovi Corporation in July 2009. Rovi Corporation was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: 3D Systems Corp. (DDD)

3D Systems Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and servicing of 3D printers and related products, print materials, and services. The company�s principle print engines comprise stereolithography, selective laser sintering, multi-jet modeling, film transfer imaging, selective laser melting, and plastic jet printers. Its 3D printers convert data input from computer-aided design software or 3D scanning and sculpting devices to produce physical objects from engineered plastic, metal, and composite print materials. The company also blends, markets, sells, and distributes various consumables, engineered plastics, metal materials, and composites; and offers various software tools, as well as pre-sale and post-sale services, including applications development, installation, warranty, and maintenance. In addition, it provides custom parts services, such as precision plastic and metal parts service and assembly capabilit ies. The company markets its stereolithography materials under the Accura and RenShape; laser sintering materials under the DuraForm, CastForm, and LaserForm; and materials for professional printers under the VisiJet brands. It primarily serves manufacturers of automotive, aerospace, computer, electronic, defense, education, consumer, energy and healthcare products, as well as original equipment manufacturers, government agencies, universities, and independent service bureaus. The company sells its products and services through its direct sales organization, sales agents, resellers, and distributors primarily in the United States, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. 3D Systems Corporation was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: OmniVision Technologies Inc.(OVTI)

OmniVision Technologies, Inc. designs, develops, and markets semiconductor image-sensor devices. The company offers CameraChip image sensors, which are single-chip solutions that integrate various functions, such as image capture, image processing, color processing, signal conversion, and output of a processed image or video stream for use in various consumer and commercial mass-market applications; and CameraCube imaging devices that are image sensors with integrated wafer-level optics. It also provides companion chips used to connect its image sensors to various interfaces, including the universal serial bus and other industry standard interfaces; and companion digital signal processors that perform compression in standardized still photo and digital video formats. In addition, the company designs and develops software drivers for Linux, Mac OS, and Microsoft Windows, as well as for embedded operating systems, such as Blackberry OS, Palm OS, Symbian, Windows CE, Windows Embedded, and Windows Mobile. Its products are used in mobile phones, notebooks, Webcams, digital still and video cameras, commercial and security and surveillance, and automotive and medical applications, as well as in entertainment devices. The company sells its products directly to original equipment manufacturers and value added resellers, as well as indirectly through distributors worldwide. OmniVision Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is based in Santa Clara, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Karim]  

  They make the 5-megapixel sensors in the camera of every iPhone. Along with this they carry a strong balance sheet and upbeat earnings expectations boding well for future growth.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

ArQule, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the research and development of cancer therapeutics directed toward molecular targets and biological processes. Its lead product ARQ 197 is non-adenosine triphosphate competitive inhibitor of the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase, which is being evaluated as monotherapy and in combination therapy in a Phase II clinical development program that includes trials in non-small cell lung cancer, c-Met-associated soft tissue sarcomas, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, germ cell tumors, and colorectal cancer. The company is also developing ARQ 621, a Phase I program focused on inhibition of the Eg5 kinesin spindle protein. Its clinical stage products include ARQ 501, ARQ 761, and ARQ 171, which are designed to kill cancer cells selectively while sparing normal cells through the direct activation of DNA damage response/checkpoint pathways. In addition, the company involves in pre-clinical development o f B-RAF and AKIP Kinase inhibitors. The company has collaborations with Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. ArQule, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: ViaSat Inc.(VSAT)

ViaSat, Inc. designs, produces, and markets satellite and other wireless communication, and networking systems for government and commercial customers. The company?s Government Systems segment offers network-centric Internet protocol (IP) based government communications systems, including tactical radio and information distribution systems that enable real-time collection and dissemination of video and data using transmission links between command centers, communications nodes, and air defense systems; information security and assurance products, which enable military and government users to communicate information securely over networks, and that secure data stored on computers and storage devices; and government satellite communication systems, such as portable, mobile, and fixed broadband modems, terminals, network access control systems, and antenna systems. The company?s Commercial Networks segment provides various satellite communication systems and ground networki ng equipment. It offers satellite network infrastructure and ground terminals to access high capacity satellites; antenna systems for terrestrial and satellite applications, such as geo-special imagery, mobile satellite communication, Ka-band gateways, and other multi-band antennas; enterprise very small aperture terminal networks and products; and mobile broadband satellite communication systems. This segment also provides satellite networking systems design and technology development, including the analysis, design, and specification of satellites and ground systems, ASIC and MMIC design and production, and wide area network compression for enterprise networks. The company?s Satellite Services segment provides wholesale and retail satellite-based broadband Internet services, as well as managed network services for the satellite communication systems of its consumer, enterprise, and mobile broadband customers. ViaSat, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Carlsb ad, California.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: Western Digital Corp (WDC)

Western Digital Corporation (WD) is a provider of solutions for the collection, storage, management, protection and use of digital content, including audio and video. Its principal products are hard drives, which are devices that use one or more rotating magnetic disks (magnetic media) to store and allow access to data. Its hard drives are used in desktop and notebook computers, corporate and cloud computing data centers, home entertainment equipment and stand-alone consumer storage devices. In addition to hard drives, its other products include solid-state drives and home entertainment and networking products. The Company operates as the parent company of its hard drive business, Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Effective March 8, 2012, the Company acquired Viviti Technologies Ltd. In May 2012, the Company completed the divestiture of certain 3.5-inch hard drive assets to Toshiba Corporation. As part of its deal with Toshiba, WD also completed its purchase of Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand) Company Limited (TSDT), which manufactured hard drives.

The Company offers a line of storage devices. Its hard drives include 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch form factors, capacities ranging from 80 gigabytes to three terabytes, nominal rotation speeds up to 10,000 revolutions per minute, and interfaces, such as Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) and Serial Attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) (SAS). In addition, the Company offers a family of hard drives specifically designed to consume less power than standard drives, utilizing its WD GreenPower Technology. Its solid-state drives include 2.5-inch and Compact Flash form factors, capacities ranging from 1 gigabyte to 256 gigabytes, and interfaces, such as SATA and PATA.

Client Compute Storage Products

Client compute consists of hard drives and solid-state drives for desktop and mobile personal computers (PC��). During the fiscal year ended July 1, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it shipped 151 million hard drive clie! nt compute unit. Its client compute storage products include WD Caviar, WD Scorpio and WD Silicon Edge. WD Caviar family of hard drives is designed for use in desktop PCs. WD Scorpio family of hard drives is designed for use in mobile PCs. WD Silicon Edge family of solid-state drives is designed for both read-intensive client/consumer applications and write-intensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) applications.

Client Non-Compute Storage Products

Client non-compute consists of branded products and consumer electronics products. Its hard drive client non-compute unit shipments were 46 million, during fiscal 2011.

Branded Products

Branded products consists of hard drives embedded into WD-branded external storage appliances with capacities ranging from 250 gigabytes to 8 terabytes and using interfaces, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0, USB 3.0, external SATA, FireWire and Ethernet network connections. Certain branded products models include software that assists customers with back up, remote access and management of digital content. Branded products also include its home entertainment and networking products. Its branded products include My Book and WD Elements Desktop family of storage appliances. My Passport and WD Elements Portable family of storage appliances include WD ShareSpace, WD TV and WD Livewire.

My Book and WD Elements Desktop family of storage appliances are designed to add external capacity to desktops and digital video recorders (DVRs), allow for the transfer and storage of videos directly from certain camcorders, and connect to networks to simplify storage for consumers. My Passport and WD Elements Portable family of storage appliances are designed for external portability weighing less than one-half of a pound and allow for the transfer and storage of videos directly from certain camcorders. WD ShareSpace is a network-attached storage system designed for home office or small office applications. WD TV m! edia play! ers connect to a user�� television or home theater system and play digital movies, music and photos from an integrated hard drive, network hard drives, any of its WD-branded external hard drives, other USB mass storage devices or content services accessed over the Internet. WD Livewire, which enables consumers to use their existing electrical outlets to extend Internet connections throughout the home.

Consumer Electronics Products

WD AV family of hard drives is designed for use in products, such as DVRs and audio and video applications. WD AV drives deliver the characteristics CE manufacturers.

Enterprise Storage Products

Enterprise consists of hard drives for traditional enterprise and nearline storage applications, as well as solid-state drives for embedded applications. Its hard drive enterprise unit shipments were 10 million, for fiscal 2011. Its enterprise storage products include WD S25 hard drive, WD VelociRaptor, WD RE and WD SiliconDrive. WD S25 hard drive is designed for mission-critical enterprise server and storage applications, such as data centers and data arrays. WD VelociRaptor hard drive is designed for enterprise server and storage applications. This hard drive is also used in the high-end desktop PC market for applications including gaming, servers and advanced computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. WD RE family of hard drives is designed for nearline storage enterprise applications. WD SiliconDrive family of solid-state drives features fast read/write speeds in high capacities and is designed for embedded system OEM applications.

The Company competes with Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Seagate Technology, STEC, Inc. and Toshiba Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By he Fiscal Times]

  Western Digital (WDC +0.37%) is another disk drive manufacturer that has been pummeled by rumors of the demise of the personal computer -- but a number of analysts argue that it's better positioned for both downside and upside scenarios than rival Seagate. (Together, they control about 80% of the market.) If the launch of Windows 8 winds up sending consumers out to upgrade their PCs rather than just turn increasingly to tablets, that will help Western Digital -- and the company still benefits from the need by ordinary consumers to store data cost-effectively. Oh yes, and it has promised to devote a healthy chunk of its cash to dividends and stock buybacks. Little wonder the stock ended the year by roaring 27% higher for December.
   
  One note of caution on these seven technology-related companies: They may have dramatically outperformed the S&P 500 in December, but only two began the month on a positive note and also posted a gain for the fourth quarter. Just another reminder that the trend isn't always your friend.

Top 10 Tech Companies For 2014: Maxwell Technologies Inc.(MXWL)

Maxwell Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets energy storage and power delivery products, and microelectronic products worldwide. The company offers Ultracapacitors that are energy storage devices to provide energy storage and power delivery solutions for applications in transportation, automotive, information technology, renewable energy, and industrial electronics industries; and CONDIS high-voltage capacitors comprising grading and coupling capacitors, and capacitive voltage dividers used to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution, and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. It also provides radiation-hardened microelectronic products, including single board computers and components, such as high-density memory and power modules for satellites and spacecraft applications. The company markets and sells its products through direct and indirect sales for integration by original equipment manufacturers into a range of end products. The company was formerly known as Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. and changed its name to Maxwell Technologies, Inc. in 1996. Maxwell Technologies was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Konrad]

  Maxwell Technologies is a leading manufacturer of electrodes for ultracapacitors.  Ultracapacitors are electricity storage devices which excel in applications requiring high power but low energy and extremely long life.  In layman's terms, they pack a big punch, but have little staying power.  They pair well with batteries, which are best in low power, high energy applications.
  
  Ultracapacitors are used in a wide variety of electronics and electricity transmission and distribution applications, as well as in wind turbines and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles, such as buses. They expect to have a large and growing market in "stop-start" hybrid cars.  Stop-start technology is one of the most cost effective measures for improving automotive fuel economy, and auto manufacturers are scrambling to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy standards in both the US and Europe.  
  
  The main reason for Maxwell's current low price has been the lack of a design win with a major manufacturer for start-stop technology using Maxwell's ultracapacitors.  Many investors were anticipating such a win in 2012, and the lack of one so far and slower revenue growth overall led to extreme investor disappointment, driving the stock from over $21 at the start of the year to the low $8 range where it has been recently trading.  Maxwell insiders, including the CEO, David Schramm, have been demonstrating their faith in the company's prospects since the stock fell to $10 with large stock purchases.  They have acquired 128,400 shares since then.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  My final breakout idea today is Maxwell Technologies (MXWL), which develops, manufactures and markets energy storage and power delivery products for transportation, industrialtelecommunications and other applications, as well as microelectronic products for space and satellite applications. This stock has been under pressure by the sellers so far in 2013, with shares off by 22%.

  If you look at the chart for Maxwell Technologies, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares soaring higher from its low of $4.90 to its recent high of $6.75 a share. During that uptrend, shares of MXWL have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of MXWL within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MXWL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $6.75 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that registers near or above its three-month average action of 474,995 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MXWL will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from March that started at $7.80 a share. Any high-volume move above $7.80 will then put $8.50 to $9 into range for shares of MXWL.

  Traders can look to buy MXWL off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $6.23 a share or near $6 a share. One could also buy MXWL off strength once it clears $6.75 a share with volume and then simply use a stop right below its 50-day at $6.23 a share.