Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Short-sellers hate being caught short a stock that reports a blowout quarter. When this happens, we often see a tradable short squeeze develop as the bears rush to cover their positions to avoid big losses. Even the best short-sellers know that it's never a great idea to stay short once a bullish earnings report sparks a big short-covering rally.

This is why I scan the market for heavily shorted stocks that are about to report earnings. You only need to find a few of these stocks in a year to help enhance your portfolio returns -- the gains become so outsized in such a short time frame that your profits add up quickly.

That said, let's not forget that stocks are heavily shorted for a reason, so you have to use trading discipline and sound money management when playing earnings short-squeeze candidates. It's important that you don't go betting the farm on these plays and that you manage your risk accordingly. Sometimes the best play is to wait for the stock to break out following the report before you jump in to profit off a short squeeze. This way, you're letting the trend emerge after the market has digested all of the news.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Measurement Specialties Inc.(MEAS)

Measurement Specialties, Inc. engages in the design, development, and manufacture of sensors and sensor-based systems for original equipment manufacturers and end users. Its sensor products include pressure sensors and transducers, pressure and temperature scanning instrumentation, linear/rotary position sensors, piezoelectric polymer film sensors, custom microstructures, load cells, accelerometers, optical sensors, and hydrostatic pressure transducers, as well as humidity, temperature, and fluid property sensors. The company?s technologies comprise piezo-resistive silicon sensors, application-specific integrated circuits, micro-electromechanical systems, piezoelectric polymers, foil strain gauges, force balance systems, fluid capacitive devices, linear and rotational variable differential transformers, electromagnetic displacement sensors, hygroscopic capacitive sensors, ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, negative thermal coefficient ceramic sensors, torque sensors, me chanical resonators, and submersible hydrostatic level sensors. Its sensors are used for engine and vehicle, medical, general industrial, consumer and home appliance, military/aerospace, water monitoring, and test and measurement applications. The company offers its products under the MEAS brand name. It sells its products through regional sales managers, distributors, and outside sales representatives in the United States, France, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, and China. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Hampton, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Measurement Specialties (Nasdaq: MEAS  ) reported earnings on June 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Measurement Specialties met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Transol Corporation Ltd(TNC.AX)

Transol Corporation Limited engages in the development and commercialization of computerized driver license theory testing system; digital music business; and investment in mineral exploration assets in Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, and Asia. The company offers computerized theory testing systems, which include online Web services platforms for the delivery of education, assessment, and collaboration services for road code and rules; and corus-share.com, a Web 2.0 collaboration software platform, which utilizes social computing software tools and functionality to integrate a range of Web-based applications that allows users to communicate, interact, create, and share information. It also engages in the digital distribution, publishing, and online marketing of music and video content focused primarily on content and services in the Asia Pacific region selling to various online stores. In addition, the company holds investment in mineral exploration assets, including six projects in the Kingdom of Cambodia and Australia. It primarily explores for gold, lead, and bauxite. The company was formerly known as Online Trading Systems Limited and changed its name to Transol Corporation Limited in August 2003. Transol Corporation Limited was founded in 1999 and is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Best Stocks For 2015: Cheniere Energy Inc.(LNG)

Cheniere Energy, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and operation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminals and natural gas pipelines in the Gulf Coast of the United States. The company develops LNG receiving terminal projects on Sabine Pass LNG in western Cameron Parish, Louisiana on the Sabine Pass Channel; Corpus Christi LNG near Corpus Christi, Texas; and Creole Trail LNG at the mouth of the Calcasieu Channel in central Cameron Parish, Louisiana. It also involves in the oil and natural gas exploration and development activities; and LNG and natural gas marketing business. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The best looking investment for a longer-term investor has to be the natural gas producers. The fourth LNG export license was recently approved by the Department of Energy, and first mover Cheniere Energy (NYSE: LNG) is expected to begin shipping to customers in Europe and Asia by the fourth quarter of 2015.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Clearly, the biggest demand driver will come from already approved natural gas export terminals such as Cheniere Energy's (NYSEMKT: LNG  ) Sabine Pass. These projects will sop up a big portion of the increase in natural gas production over the next few years. As the slide shows, by 2018 we should be exporting about 5.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, or Bcf/d. For some perspective, as of this past May, natural gas production in the contiguous 48 states was 73.37 Bcf/d, meaning these future approved exports would equate to less than 8% of current production.

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  So far, only two projects have received the DOE's stamp of approval: Cheniere Energy's (NYSEMKT: LNG  ) Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana, which was greenlighted in 2011, and the Freeport LNG project in Texas -- a $10 billion facility in Texas that's 50% owned by ConocoPhillips� (NYSE: COP  ) --�which received permission this month.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Northeast Bancorp(NBN)

Northeast Bancorp operates as a bank holding company for Northeast Bank that provides a range of financial services to individuals and companies in western and south-central Maine, and southeastern New Hampshire. It offers various deposit products, including demand deposits and escrow accounts, NOW accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and brokered time deposits. The company?s lending activities comprise origination and purchase of mortgages for the purpose of financing or refinancing one-to-four family residential properties. The company also provides various commercial real estate loans; commercial business loans, such as term loans, lines of credit, and equipment and receivables financing; commercial and residential loans; and construction loans. In addition, it offers consumer loans secured by automobiles, recreational vehicles, boats, as well as provides second mortgages, home improvement and mobile home loans, and personal and d eposit account collateralized loans. Further, the company offers property and casualty insurance products to personal and commercial customers; and investment brokerage services, which include investment and financial planning products and services. As of June 30, 2011, it operated 10 banking offices, 1 financial center, 3 loan production offices, and 10 insurance offices in western and south-central Maine, and southeastern New Hampshire. The company was founded in 1872 and is headquartered in Lewiston, Maine.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: China Digital TV Holding Co. Ltd.(STV)

China Digital TV Holding Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides conditional access (CA) systems to digital television markets in the People?s Republic of China. Its CA systems consist of smart cards and head-end software for television network operators, as well as terminal-end software for set-top box manufacturers, which enable digital television network operators to control the distribution of content and value-added services to their subscribers and block unauthorized access to their networks The company licenses its set-top box design to set-top box manufacturers and sells advanced digital television application software, such as electronic program guides and subscriber management systems to digital television network operators. It also provides system integration services for television network operators. China Digital TV Holding Co., Ltd. sells its CA systems and digital television application software to television network operators, including cable, satell ite, and terrestrial television network operators and enterprises that maintain private cable television networks within their facilities. As of December 31, 2009, it had installed CA systems at 244 digital television network operators in 27 provinces, autonomous regions, and centrally administered municipalities in the People's Republic of China. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Appliance Recycling Centers of America Inc.(ARCI)

Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, sells new household appliances through a chain of its factory outlet stores under the name ApplianceSmart. Its stores offer new special-buy appliances, including prior-year models, close-outs, factory overruns, and scratch-and-dent units, as well as byproduct materials, such as metals of recycled appliances. As of April 2, 2011, the company operated 19 factory outlet stores in Georgia, Minnesota, Ohio, and Texas. The company also provides turnkey appliance recycling and replacement services for electric utilities and other sponsors of energy efficiency programs. It operated 10 processing and recycling centers in California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington; and Ontario, Canada. In addition, the company has a joint venture agreement with ARCA Advanced Processing, LLC, which recycles appliances in the northeastern United States for General Ele ctric Company. The company was founded in 1976 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Banca Milano(PMII.MI)

Banca Popolare di Milano Societa Cooperativa a r.l. provides banking and financial services primarily in Italy, Europe, the United States, and Asia. The company offers current and savings accounts, mortgage and personal loans, credit cards, finance leases, and factoring services. It also provides commercial, corporate, and investment banking services; treasury services; financial advisory services; brokerage services; bancassurance products; collective and individual portfolio management services; and open and close-ended mutual funds, and hedge funds. As of 30 June 2011, the company operated a network of 770 retail branches, 4 corporate branches, 10 SME units, and 17 private banking centers, as well as 3 direct branches and 28 financial shops. It also offers telephone and Internet banking services. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Troy Resources Nl (TRY.TO)

Troy Resources Limited engages in the exploration and production of gold and silver properties. It holds 100% interests in the Andorinhas project located in the Para State of north central Brazil; and the Casposo project situated in the San Juan province, Argentina. The company was founded in 1984 and is based in West Perth, Australia.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Telecom Italia S.P.A.(TI)

Telecom Italia S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides fixed-line and mobile telecommunications, Internet, and media services. The company also operates in office and system solutions. Its portfolio ranges from consumer-focused convergent communications services to business-oriented advanced ICT solutions. The company?s integrated range of offerings, proprietary platforms, and network architecture leverage the potential of fixed-line and mobile broadband to offer convergent solutions for communication, Web surfing, always-in-touch services, and serve as a gateway to the digital world from the home, the office, and on the move, from fixed-line telephone, cell phone, PC, or TV. Its business portfolio covers various categories of business needs, from freelance professionals to SMEs, corporations, institutions, and public government bodies. The company?s Web offerings combine Italy?s Virgilio portal with Web 2.0 ventures, such as Yalp!, a TV community where users p ublish their own content and create their own TV channels. Its media operations span traditional broadcasting over analogue and digital networks, and mobile broadcasting through TIM/MTV partnership vehicle, MTV Mobile. The company has operations in Italy, Latin America, Germany, Holland, and the Mediterranean basin. As of December 31, 2009, it provided fixed telecommunications services with approximately 16.1 million physical accesses in Italy. The company?s wholesale customer portfolio consisted of approximately 6.2 million accesses for telephone services; and broadband portfolio had approximately 8.7 million accesses in Italy, as well as 30.8 million mobile telephone lines. Telecom Italia was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Telecom Italia SpA (NYSE: TI) was raised to Neutral from Underperform at J.P. Morgan.

  Xilinx Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) was raised to Outperform from Sector Perform with a $55 price target (versus $a 46.54 close) at Pacific Crest.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Stratus Properties Inc.(STRS)

Stratus Properties Inc. engages in the acquisition, development, management, operation, and sale of commercial, hotel, entertainment, and multi-family and single-family residential real estate properties located primarily in the Austin, Texas area. It operates the W Austin Hotel & Residences project located on a 2-acre city block in downtown Austin; and residential real estate properties, including developed, under development, and undeveloped properties in the Barton Creek community, the Circle C community and Lantana, and the condominium units at the W Austin Hotel & Residences project. The company also engages in the leasing of commercial properties comprising two office buildings at 7500 Rialto Boulevard; office and retail space at the W Austin Hotel & Residences project; and a retail building and a bank building in the Barton Creek Village, as well as two retail buildings, including a bank building and the Parkside Village project in the Circle C community. Stratus Pr operties Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc (LME.V)

Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc., an exploration development company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation, and development of gold and base metal properties in the United States and Canada. It has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the Bell Mountain property located in Nevada; a 100% interest in 15 contiguous mining leases located in Irwin, Walters, Elmhirst, and Pifher Townships in the Beardmore area, Ontario; and a 100% interest in 13 mining claims totalling 179 units located in Pifher and Elmhirst Townships, Ontario. The company also has an option to acquire a 100% interest in 4 mining leases totaling 29 hectares in Elmhirst Township; and a 100% interest in 21 claim units totalling 135 hectares in Walter and Elmhirst Townships, Ontario. In addition, it has a strategic alliance agreement with Kiska Metals Corporation and certain of its affiliates to acquire a 51% interest in the Midlothian project located in the Township of Midlothian, Ontario. The c ompany was formerly known as Laurion Gold Inc. and changed its name to Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc. in October 2006. Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc. was incorporated in 1945 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.(HMIN)

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. develops, leases, operates, franchises, and manages a chain of economy hotels in the People?s Republic of China. The company operates its hotels under the Home Inn brand name. As of April 28, 2011, it had approximately 800 Home Inns in operation and 1,000 Home Inns sealed in franchise agreements. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Belinda Cao]

  The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (CH55BN) of the most-traded Chinese companies in the U.S. slumped 3.4 percent last week to a seven-month low of 89.04. The gauge traded at 13.5 times estimated earnings, 3.6 percent below the S&P�� valuation, data compiled by Bloomberg show. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH) and China Eastern Airlines Corp. (CEA) lost more than 6 percent April 5, while Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. (HMIN) tumbled 16 percent in the week.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (Nasdaq: HMIN  ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Home Inns & Hotels Management missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The New York traded ADRs of China's Home Inns and Hotels Management (HMIN) have climbed 15.5% from September 24 to the close on October 11.

  Part of the reason is a October 10 recommendation from Goldman Sachs that added the ADRs to its top pick list. And part of the reason is a huge surge in domestic travel during China's recently concluded National Day holiday week. (Home Inns and Hotels Management is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.)

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: SL Industries Inc. (SLI)

SL Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of power electronics, motion control, power protection, and specialized communication equipment in the United States and internationally. The company offers power conversion products for use in customer�s specific equipment under the SL Power Electronics, Condor, and Ault brand names to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medical, industrial/instrumentation, military, and information technology equipment. It also provides custom power conditioning and distribution units for custom electrical subsystems for OEMs of medical imaging, medical treatment, military aerospace, semiconductor, solar, and advanced simulation systems under the Teal brand name; and power quality products, including three-phase AC reactors, DC link chokes, and a series of harmonic, RFI/EMI, and motor protection filters used in industrial plants, natural resource harvesting sites and facilities, a nd commercial buildings to protect equipment from power surges under the MTE brand name. In addition, the company offers high power density precision motors that are used in military and commercial aerospace, oil and gas, and medical and industrial product applications; and communication and power protection products/systems that are used to protect electric utility transmission lines and apparatus, as well as products and systems used in rail and highway industries. SL Industries, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Salazar Resources Limited (SRL.V)

Salazar Resources Limited, a junior mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Latin America. It primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead ores. The company�s principal asset includes the Curipamba project, which comprises 7 concessions covering an area of approximately 30,327 hectares located in central-west Ecuador. Salazar Resources Limited is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy Right Now: Village Bank and Trust Financial Corp.(VBFC)

Village Bank and Trust Financial Corp. operates as the holding company for Village Bank that provides banking and related financial services to individuals and businesses in Richmond, Virginia metropolitan area. Its deposit products include demand accounts, interest checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises commercial loans, such as lines of credit, revolving credit facilities, term loans, equipment loans, stand-by letters of credit, and unsecured loans; real estate loans, including residential mortgage, commercial, and construction loans; and secured and unsecured consumer loans for personal, family, or household purposes. The company also provides investment services. It operates through its main office location and 14 branch offices. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Midlothian, Virginia.