Top Railroad Stocks For 2015

Shares of CSX (CSX) were slipping Thursday afternoon, after an analyst downgrade citing lack of catalysts for the railroad giant.

Barclays��Brandon Oglenski and Keith Mori cut their rating on the stock from Overweight to Equal Weight and lowered their target price by $2 to $30. They write that while CSX is still the cheapest in the sector, they see marginal upside for the stock given a limited growth outlook in 2015. They also note that a difficult start to 2014 implies further headwinds, as CSX�� cost and margin performance has lagged peers in recent periods, and ��fficiency gains could be masked in the near-term as the network regains fluidity.��/p>

Their downgrade also relates to dynamics in the coal industry:

CSX shareholders have sustained a volatile ride in the past two years, dominated by the loss of nearly $800mm in coal revenue. Dynamics have improved in the near term for domestic coal consumption, but pending environmental regulations and soft export markets make for a difficult long-term outlook. Based on our analysis of future headwinds, we estimate coal revenues could decline a further $380 to $500mm in the coming years. We are encouraged at CSX�� pace of expansion beyond coal markets, which has totaled nearly $1bn in additional revenue or 12% of growth in two years. However, growth has been insufficient to create favorable earnings outcomes given coal�� relatively high profitability. Beyond the near term, coal headwinds signal another slow growth year in 2015, driving our downgrade to Equal Weight.

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2016: Santander Mexico Financial Group SAB de CV (BSMX)

Santander Mexico Financial Group SAB de CV, formerly Grupo Financiero Santander SAB de CV, is a Mexico-based financial institution. The Company is primarily engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the provision of multiple banking services, securities brokerage, financial advice services, as well as other related investment activities. The Company offers its services to both, individual and corporate clients. The Company owns such principal subsidiaries as Banco Santander (Mexico) SA, Casa de Bolsa Santander SA de CV and Zurich Santander Seguros Mexico S.A. In December, 2013, the Company concluded the sale of Gestion Santander SA de CV's shares, as a result of the agreement reached with its parent company, Banco Santander SA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  ING's (NYSE: ING  ) Latin American operations will soon be one division lighter. The company announced it reached an agreement to sell its mortgage business in Mexico to�Grupo Financiero Santander Mexico (NYSE: BSMX  ) , the local presence of Spanish financial group Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN  ) . The price was 643 million pesos ($51 million), according to Mexico City newspaper La Cronica de Hoy.

Top Railroad Stocks For 2015: Panera Bread Company(PNRA)

Panera Bread Company, together with its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and franchises retail bakery-cafes in the United States and Canada. Its bakery-cafes offer fresh baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads, custom roasted coffees, and other complementary products, as well as provide catering services. The company also manufactures and supplies dough and other products to company-owned and franchise-operated bakery-cafes. As of March 29, 2011, it owned and franchised 1,467 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co., and Paradise Bakery & Cafe names. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Both Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG  ) and Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) have been some of the best restaurant concepts over the past few years, but particularly during the recession, as diners went down market to save money while still getting a good value for their dollar.

• [By Daniel Sparks]

  For Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) , the stakes are high. Can the bakery-cafe continue on its impressive growth trajectory? On Tuesday, shareholders will get a chance to check in on the company to see whether or not the company's growth story is still hot.

• [By John Udovich]

  At the end of last week, small cap sandwich stock Potbelly Corp (NASDAQ: PBPB) had a delicious surge of 120% for its IPO���meaning its probably a good idea to see whether its still worth getting in on the action plus take a look at the performance of peers�Cosi Inc (NASDAQ: COSI), Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ: PNRA) and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: BAGL) as Subway remains private. I should mention that competing with Subway in the sandwich business is a tall order as they have 40,229 restaurants in 102 countries and territories as of early September���making them the�largest single-brand restaurant chain and the largest restaurant operator globally. However, Potbelly Corp and its peers Cosi Inc, Panera Bread Co and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group aren�� slugging it out directly with Subway.

• [By Asit Sharma]

  But within the opportunity lies a conundrum: There is no other pure retail coffee competitor anywhere near the size of Starbucks to which it can be compared. The company competes with quick service restaurants like McDonald's� (NYSE: MCD  ) at breakfast, fast-casual restaurants such as Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) at lunch, and local coffee chains and independent coffee houses during other dayparts.�

Top Railroad Stocks For 2015: American Heritage International Inc (AHII)

American Heritage International Inc., formerly Cumberland Hills Ltd., incorporated on January 19, 2010, intends to focus on electronic cigarette. The Company�� product includes American Heritage, American One, American Freedom, American Nights, American Standard and Smoking Alternative Gums and Mints.

The Company�� initial and primary line will be the American Heritage line. American One is a disposable Electronic Cigarette, good for over 500 draws, about the equivalent of over two packs of traditional cigarettes. American Freedom will be the brand name for its Nicotine-Free line of Electronic Cigarettes. American Nights will be a product line targeted to the young adult market of social smokers. Smoking Alternative products will include gums, and mints.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Enter American Heritage International Inc. (OTCBB:AHII). No, it's not marijuana play. It's also not a maker of marijuana vending machines. It's an electronic cigarette maker still in its initial expansion phase, and seeing the potential of vending machines (but without the risk and potential legal hurdles of marijuana vending machines), the company announced this morning it has inked a deal with a major operator of vending machines to sell its e-cigs.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  Every cigarette company from Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) to Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corp. (OTCMKTS:ECIG) will want to take notice of this morning's news from American Heritage International Inc. (OTCBB:AHII) - the young startup's electronic cigarettes now have something else great going for them. As such, it just got a little easier for smokers to justify dumping traditional tobacco cigarettes like those made by Altria (like Marlboro) in favor of e-cigs....

• [By James E. Brumley]

  The winds of change are blowing in the cigarette arena, and though in a superficial sense it looks like the usual big tobacco names such as Reynolds American, Inc. (NYSE:RAI) or Lorillard Inc. (NYSE:LO) are positioning to retain their dominance in the new era of cigarette smoking, in reality, it's a little name like American Heritage International Inc. (OTCBB:AHII) that could end up beating the big guys at their own game.

• [By John Udovich]

  After marijuana, the electronic cigarette sector and e-Cig stocks or industry players�like�Reynolds American, Inc (NYSE: RAI), mCig Inc (OTCBB: MCIG), Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corp (OTCMKTS: ECIG) and American Heritage International Inc (OTCBB: AHII) is looking like the next hot niche sector for investors. However, electronic cigarette stock investors should be aware of the following�recent good and bad news from the sector that needs to be digested:

Top Railroad Stocks For 2015: Energen Corporation (EGN)

Energen Corporation, an energy holding company, engages in the development, acquisition, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids in the continental United States. The company is also involved in the purchase, distribution, and sale of natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers, as well as to other end-users of natural gas in central and north Alabama. In addition, it provides gas transportation services to industrial and commercial customers located on its distribution system. As of December 31, 2012, the company had approximately 750 million barrels of oil-equivalent proved, probable, and possible reserves. Energen Corporation was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Energen Corp.(EGN) said it expects last month’s severe weather in West Texas to weigh on results from the oil-and-gas production company’s Permian Basin operations.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Smaller producers appear to agree, with Whiting Petroleum (WLL) noting that its production growth would be unchanged at oil prices of around $75 while an average oil price in the low $80s would not affect Energen�� (EGN) production plans.