Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now

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NEW YORK (CNNMoney) It was an incredible November for stocks in what's been an amazing year for the market. Will the rally continue in December?

The Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq both ended November with a gain of about 3.5%. The S&P 500 advanced almost 3%. The Dow and S&P 500 are near record highs, while the Nasdaq rose above 4,000 last week for the first time in 13 years.

So far this year, the S&P 500 has soared nearly 27% in the latest phase of a bull market that started in March, 2009.

If history is any guide, stocks should head even higher in December. Over the past 30 years, the S&P 500 has gained in December 80% of the time, according to data from Schaeffer's Investment Research.

Hot Transportation Companies To Watch In Right Now: DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc (DVA)

DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., formerly DaVita Inc., incorporated on April 4, 1994, is a provider of dialysis services in the United States for patients suffering from chronic kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided dialysis and administrative services through a network of 1,809 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States throughout 43 states and the District of Columbia, serving a total of approximately 142,000 patients. It also provides acute inpatient dialysis services in approximately 900 hospitals and related laboratory services throughout the United States. In addition, as of December 31, 2011, it provided dialysis and administrative services to a total of 11 outpatient dialysis centers located in three countries outside of the United States. On September 2, 2011, the Company acquired CDSI I Holding Company, Inc., the parent company of dialysis provider DSI Renal Inc. In November 2011, the Company announced that its wholly owned European subsidiary, DV Care GmbH, acquired ExtraCorp AG. In January 2012, the Company acquired controlling interest in NephroLife. In September 2012, the Company announced that its new guest services contact center located in Centennial, Colorado was opened. On November 1, 2012, the Company announced the consummation of the merger of HealthCare Partners Holdings, LLC (HCP), with Seismic Acquisition LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, with HCP as the surviving entity (the Merger). The Merger, HCP became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. In January 2013, the Company acquired nine dialysis centers from Fresenius Medical Care (FMC), provider of dialysis services and manufacturer of dialysis products.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired a total of 178 dialysis centers, eight of which were located outside of the United States, opened 65 new dialysis centers, sold two centers, merged seven centers, and divested a total of 30 dialysis cent! ers in connection with the acquisition of DSI. It also added three dialysis centers under management and administrative service agreements that are located outside of the United States and added one center in which the Company owns a minority equity interest. The Company�� United States dialysis and related laboratory services business accounts for approximately 93% of its consolidated net operating revenues. Its other ancillary services accounted for approximately 7% of its consolidated net operating revenues during the year ended December 31, 2011.

Dialysis and Related Lab Services

As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated or provided administrative services through a network of 1,809 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States and 11 outpatient dialysis centers located outside the United States that are designed specifically for outpatient hemodialysis. Many of the Company�� outpatient dialysis centers offer certain support services for dialysis patients who prefer and are able to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in their homes. Home-based hemodialysis support services consist of providing equipment and supplies, training, patient monitoring, on-call support services and follow-up assistance. Registered nurses train patients and their families or other caregivers to perform either home-based hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided hospital inpatient hemodialysis services, excluding physician services, to patients in approximately 900 hospitals throughout the United States. It renders these services for a contracted per-treatment fee that is individually negotiated with each hospital. When a hospital requests the Company�� services, the Company administers the dialysis treatment at the patient�� bedside or in a dedicated treatment room in the hospital, as needed. In 2011, hospital inpatient hemodialysis services accounted for approximately 4.5% of its total United S! tates dia! lysis treatments. The Company owns two licensed clinical laboratories, which specialize in ESRD patient testing. These laboratories provide routine laboratory tests for dialysis and other physician-prescribed laboratory tests for ESRD patients. Its laboratories provide these tests primarily for its network of ESRD patients throughout the United States. These tests are performed to monitor a patient�� ESRD condition, including the adequacy of dialysis, as well as other medical conditions. During 2011, it operated or provided management and administrative services to 33 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States and three outpatient dialysis centers located outside of the United States, in which it either owns a minority equity investment or are wholly owned by third parties. These services are provided pursuant to management and administrative services agreements.

Ancillary services and strategic initiatives

DaVita Rx is a pharmacy that provides oral medications to DaVita�� patients with ESRD. HomeChoice Partners provides personalized infusion therapy services to patients typically in their own. Intravenous and nutritional support therapies are typically managed by registered and/or board-certified professionals, including pharmacists, nurses and dieticians in collaboration with the patient�� physician in support of the patient�� ongoing health care needs. VillageHealth provides advanced care management services to health plans and Government agencies for employees/members diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) or ESRD. Lifeline provides management and administrative services to physician-owned vascular access clinics that provide surgical and interventional radiology services for dialysis patients. Lifeline also is the owner of one vascular access clinic. DaVita Clinical Research conducts research trials principally with dialysis patients and provides administrative support for research conducted by DaVita-affiliated nephrology practices. DaVita Neph! rology Pa! rtners offers practice management and administrative services to physicians who specialize in nephrology. Practice management and administrative services include operations management, information technology support, billing and collections, credentialing and coding, and other support functions.

The Company competes with Fresenius Medical Care.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  1. Keep it simple
  Buffett likes to keep things simple and understand the business before he buys. DaVita Healthcare Partners (NYSE: DVA  ) is a great example of this desired simplicity. The company provides dialysis services for patients with chronic kidney disease or end stage renal disease. Patients with these diseases can't survive without dialysis. DaVita provides the service. It doesn't get much more simple than that.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  Nati Harnik/AP There are all sorts of exclusive clubs on Wall Street -- and then there's Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A). On Thursday, it became the only member of the $200,000-a-share club. That's right: A single share of its Class A stock is trading for more than $200,000. And Berkshire is likely to remain the sole member of that club for a very long time. The next-highest priced stock is Tower Properties (TPRP), a real estate holding company that trades over the counter for $10,500 a share. Some critics have argued for years that Berkshire is overvalued, but it has marched steadily higher year after year. According to Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices, Berkshire has delivered an annual return of 22.6 percent (including reinvested dividends) ever since the stock topped $100 a share back in 1977. That's a record of consistently outstanding performance unmatched by any other Wall Street guru. $1,000 to $2 Million That means, if you invested $1,000 in Berkshire stock in May of 1977 and let it ride, your investment would be worth $2 million today. The stock is up 13 percent so far this year, well ahead of the 5.6 percent gain for the S&P 500 (^GSPC). Berkshire Hathaway is basically a mutual fund of Buffett's investments, including dozens of companies that he's bought and operated, as well as huge stakes in other publicly traded stocks. The company's biggest stock holdings are in Wells Fargo (WFC) (more than $23 billion worth of stock) and in Coca-Cola (KO) (more than $16- billion). Buffett has also placed big bets on financial companies American Express (AXP) and Goldman Sachs (GS), energy giants Exxon Mobil (XOM) and ConocoPhillips (COP), DirecTV (DTV), DaVita Healthcare (DVA), and many others. Buy and Hold Buffett has long preached a buy-and-hold investment strategy, and he's maintained investments in many of these companies for several decades. In addition to those stock market investments, Berkshir

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: DC Brands International Inc (HRDN)

DC Brands International, Inc. (DC Brands), incorporated on April 29, 1998, is engaged in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of health-related products that utilize natural botanicals, vitamins, minerals and supplements. As of December 31, 2009, the Company focused on the sale of products under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition label. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had two distinct types of products sold under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition logo, such as Functional Water Systems and nutritional supplements. Its H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water System provides consumers with the combination of nutraceutical supplements with a functional beverage. All of the products sold under its H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water System are sold in a bottle, which combines in one container water, which is lightly flavored, with vitamins stored in its licensed flip top compartment on the top of the bottle. DC Brands also sells other products included in its H.A.R.D. Nutrition label, such as herbal supplements, which are made from a mixture of herbs. The Company�� products are sold to consumers, primarily through retail outlet distribution. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries are DC Nutrition, Inc. and DC Brands, LLC. As of December 31, 2009, DC Brands, LLC was inactive. In June 2013, DC Brands International Inc acquired an undisclosed minority stake in Village Tea Co Distribution Inc.

Functional Water Systems

DC Brands��Functional Water Systems are a combination of a functional beverage and a nutraceutical. The Company provides consumers with a combination of a beverage and a nutraceutical supplement all in one convenient bottle. As of December 31, 2009, the Company manufactured nine water systems. Each system includes supplements, vitamins and minerals that are enclosed in its licensed cap, which is attached to its bottle filled with a lightly flavored water specially formulated to act as a catalyst for the enclosed supplements. The Functional Water Systems have a shelf life of one! year. The Company conducts periodic tests of the color, flavor and desired results of its products in house. Each product contains a label with a date stamp that specifies the shelf life.

The Company�� nine different systems are The Daily Basics, The Fat Fighter, The Get Over It-Feel Better Now, Whacked Energy, Wide Awake, Win, Fix It, Cleanse +, and Rebuild and Recover. The Daily Basics is a wellness product that includes vitamins and supplements. The Fat Fighter falls under the diet and weight loss category. The Get Over It-Feel Better Now is a wellness product that is a blend of vitamins, herbs and minerals. As of December 31, 2009, The Get Over It-Feel Better Now water system was sold in certain hotels in Las Vegas on a trial basis and was stocked in the guest rooms in the hotels and was marketed to combat hangovers. Whacked Energy and Wide Awake are part of its energy line. Win is geared towards athletes for use when conducting fitness training. Fix It is a combination of herbs and supplements. Cleanse+ is a 12 days total body cleansing system intended to be taken once every 90 days and Rebuild and Recover is a combination of products focused towards the serious athlete. All of its products contain ingredients that are focused to provide health-related benefits. The H.A.R.D. Nutrition Functional Water Systems are primarily sold in retail establishments.

Nutritional Supplements

The Company�� H.A.R.D. Nutrition Supplements are sold primarily though its wholly owned subsidiary DC Nutrition, Inc. and are focused at athletes and improving performance. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had approximately 300 products in this product line, which it divided into the four categories: performance and strength supplements, wellness products, energy supplements, and the weight loss and diet products.

The Company competes with Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks COREwafer Industries Inc (OTCMKTS: WAFR), DC Brands International, Inc (OTCMKTS: HRDN) and PV Enterprises International (OTCMKTS: PVEC) surged 82.86%, 33.33% and 25%, respectively, last Friday ��meaning investors or traders got a nice Christmas present. Moreover, these small cap stocks have been the subject of minimal paid stock promotions. But will these three small cap stocks continue to deliver a good performance into and after the holidays? Here is a quick reality check before you get overly excited:

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  On an adjusted basis, Eldorado Gold (EGO) has the longest reserve/resource life amongst our coverage companies (39 years) with Goldcorp (GG) having the longest reserve/resource life (23 years) amongst the senior producers versus the group average of 22 years. Kinross Gold (KGC) and Iamgold (IAG) have the shortest adjusted reserve/resource lives amongst the senior and mid-tier producers (18 and 14 years respectively). On a percentage basis, the companies most affected by the adjustment are New Gold (NGD) and Iamgold which both saw reserve/resource lives fall by 47% however, we note that despite the adjustment,�New Gold still has the second longest reserve/resource life in our group (37 years). Newmont Mining was the least affected by the adjustments with reserve/resource life declining by only 12% to 22 years from 25 years.

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  In addition to overexpansion at the wrong time, Golden Star�� position has weakened due to its comparably less efficient operations. Unlike industry peers, such as IamGold Corp. (IAG) or Gold Fields Ltd. (GFI), the majority of the Toronto-based miner�� assets contain refractory ore, which is far more expensive to extract than non refractory ore. And, in an attempt to switch production to the lower cost gold ore, and thus increase margins, Golden Star has depleted its mines��non refractory ore. With low reserves and mounting cash costs, the firm inevitably turned to new acquisitions.

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Stryker Corporation(SYK)

Stryker Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a medical technology company worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Reconstructive, MedSurg, and Neurotechnology and Spine. The Reconstructive segment offers orthopaedic reconstructive (hip and knee) and trauma implant systems, as well as other related products. The MedSurg segment provides surgical equipment and surgical navigation systems; endoscopic and communications systems; patient handling and emergency medical equipment; and other related products. The Neurotechnology and Spine segment offers neurovascular products, spinal implant systems, and other related products. The company sells its products through local dealers and direct sales force to doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities, as well as through third-party dealers and distributors in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Japan, Canada, the Pacific region, and the Latin America region. Stryker Corporat ion was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  One look around the industry this quarter tells the story. Zimmer Holdings (NYSE: ZMH  ) reported its own third-quarter results today. Zimmer's hip sales grew by only 2%, and while growing knee product sales managed to lift the company's quarterly revenue above expectations, the business hasn't been enough to save Zimmer's earnings from falling due to legal fees and other expenses. It's a similar story at Stryker (NYSE: SYK  ) , another major rival in the orthopedics space. Stryker made a big move recently to purchase robotic orthopedic surgical firm MAKO Surgical to jump-start sales growth, and it'll need the jolt. Stryker's knee business grew revenue by only 2.1% in the third quarter, and while its hip sales managed strong growth, the firm will need its smaller, faster-growing businesses to continue to come through.

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  Stryker Corporation (SYK) announced on Monday morning that it has agreed to acquire the assets of Small Bone Innovations for $375 million.

  Stryker will acquire the company is an all cash transaction worth $375 million. The total net cost of the deal will be�$285 million when tax benefits are taken into account. The deal is subject to customary closing conditions and the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act waiting period.

  Small Bone Innovations was founded in 2004 and is based in Morrisville, PA. The company focuses on small joint replacement.

  SYK Dividend Snapshot

  As market close on June 27, 2014

  Click here to see the complete history of SYK dividends.

  Stryker Corporation shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Monday. The stock is up 11.75% YTD.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Stocks couldn’t fly high enough to get over�yesterday’s record high*, as shares of�McDonald’s�(MCD) and Allergan (AGN) and Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) dropped, while St. Jude Medical (STJ) and Stryker (SYK) have gained.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Just for the record, I'm not going to imply that BioRestorative Therapies, Inc. (OTCBB:BRTX) is poised to put companies like Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) or Stryker Corporation (NYSE:SYK). On the other hand, BioRestorative Therapies won't need to destroy Stryker Corporation or Medtronic to be rewarding for its shareholders. BRTX is only a $10 million company, and even the tiniest sliver of the spinal-related business that SYK or MDT are doing now could still be a windfall for shareholders of the up-and-coming organization.

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Apollo Group Inc.(APOL)

Apollo Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides online and on-campus educational programs and services at the undergraduate, master?s, and doctoral levels. The company offers various degree programs in arts and sciences, business and management, criminal justice and security, education, health care, human services, nursing, psychology, and technology through its campus locations and learning centers in 40 states and the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, as well as through its online education delivery system. It also provides various degree programs in Chile and Mexico, and through online; financial services education programs, including Master of Science in three majors, as well as certification programs in retirement, asset management, and other financial planning areas; and training and education to professionals in the legal and finance industries through its schools in the United Kingdom and a network of offices in Europe. In addition, the company offers p rogram development, administration, and management consulting services comprising degree program design, curriculum development, market research, student admissions, and accounting and administrative services to private colleges and universities for their working learners? programs; and sells books and other publications. Apollo Group, Inc. was founded in 1973 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Maxims can be the kiss of death in investing. "Always buy low P/E stocks." "Always look for low price-to-book." Holding fast to these supposedly bulletproof investment strategies -- good as they sound -- could cost you, says Fool contributor Tim Beyers in the following video.
  
  The problem is context. A low price-to-earnings multiple is helpful only in those instances where earnings are growing at a faster pace than the low multiple implies. Look at for-profit educator Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL  ) , which has suffered a single-digit P/E ratio throughout the past year. Revenue and earnings fell consistently over the same period, and the stock is off 50%.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  While the given problems that are plaguing Corinthian Colleges Inc. (NASDAQ:COCO) are unique to that particular for-profit school today, the underpinnings for today's 62% implosion from COCO shares are just as big of a threat to the likes of Apollo Education Group Inc. (NASDAQ:APOL), Career Education Corp. (NASDAQ:CECO), and most other for-profit education names. In fact, those woes have been well documented for a while, and showing up each company's books for almost as long. Pictures tell the grim tale for CECO, APOL, and all the rest as effectively as any words could, so let's let the images of what's going on here do most of the talking, beginning with... Career Education Corp.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  The filing, however, hasn’t had much of an impact. Shares of ITT Educational Services have dropped just 3.4% this week but have gained 95% so far in 2013. Corinthian Colleges (COCO), on the other hand, has dropped 27% this year, while DeVry Education (DV) has gained 50% and Apollo Education (APOL) has advanced 30%.

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Immersion Corporation(IMMR)

Immersion Corporation develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a range of hardware and software technologies and products that enhance digital devices with touch interaction. The company provides haptic technologies that allow people to use their sense of touch when operating a variety of digital devices. It licenses its technologies to the manufacturers of automotive, consumer electronics, gaming, commercial and industrial controls, medical, and mobile communications products under the TouchSense brand. The company?s product portfolio includes TouchSense 1000, TouchSense 2000, TouchSense 3000, TouchSense 4000, TouchSense 5000, and TouchSense 6000. It also offers turn-key engineering and integration services, design kits for prototyping, authoring tools, and application programming interfaces, as well as platform independent solutions. The company operates primarily in North America, Europe, and the Far East. Immersion Corporation was founded in 1993 and is headquar tered in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Immersion (Nasdaq: IMMR  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Immersion's competitive position could be.

Top 10 Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Philippine Stock Exchange Inc (PSE&G)

The Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) is the national stock exchange of the Philippines. The Company's revenues are primarily derived from listing-related fees. It charges listing fees for initial public offerings and additional listings, and for annual listing maintenance. Other sources of revenue are membership, transaction, data feed and miscellaneous fees, including service fees. Membership and transaction fees are charged to trading participants while data feed fees are collected from data vendors. The Securities Clearing Corporation of the Philippines (SCCP), a wholly owned subsidiary of PSE, is a clearance, settlement and depository agency for SCCP-eligible trades executed through the facilities of the PSE. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Public Service Enterprise Group is an integrated generation and energy company. Its main subsidiaries are Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), PSEG Power and PSEG Energy Holdings.