Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014

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Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) kicked off second-quarter earnings season by announcing a year-over-year drop in sales and a big net loss.

If you're wondering what this tells us about the rest of earnings season, the answer is "not much." That's because, first, nobody truly thinks about Alcoa as an earnings bellwether anymore. That's due in part to the fact that Alcoa is struggling under issues specific to Alcoa. More importantly, the materials sector in general has been a wreck this year, and it's been tough for any mining or metals companies to overcome that drag.

But Alcoa's earnings report also provides an important reminder as we head into earnings season: Expectations are everything.

Revenue of $5.85 billion was down 2% from the second quarter of 2012, but Wall Street analysts were expecting revenue of $5.83 billion. And while earnings per share -- even on an adjusted basis -- only totaled $0.07, analysts expected just $0.06. So despite lackluster absolute second-quarter results, Alcoa's stock traded down just a penny following earnings because nobody was expecting a blow-out quarter.

Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc.(RMCF)

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Inc. operates as a franchiser, confectionery manufacturer, and retail operator. It offers a range of chocolate candies and confectionery products. The company?s products include clusters, caramels, creams, mints, and truffles. As of March 31, 2010 it operated 11 owned, 29 franchised/licensed owned, and 305 franchised Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory stores in 36 states in the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Durango, Colorado.

Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Innovaro Inc(INV)

Innovaro, Inc. provides a comprehensive portfolio of end-to-end innovation solutions primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. It helps clients develop compelling strategies to drive and catalyze growth, source externally developed technologies, create added value from their intellectual property, and gain foresight into marketplace and technology developments that affect their business. The company operates in two segments, Strategic Services and Technology Services. The Strategic Services segment offers strategic innovation consulting; business model and product development consulting; identify and develop new segments and markets; and create and act on game-changing strategies. The Technology Services segment provides futures scenario development and planning; custom and syndicated research; online information services; IP consulting; IP and market landscape analysis; technology search; In- and out-licensing; online marketplaces; and partner search and prof iling services. Its clients include consumer goods, consumer packaged goods, retail, medical, telecommunications, chemicals, media, financial services, energy, utilities, and government agencies. The company was formerly known as UTEK Corporation and changed its name to Innovaro, Inc. in July 2010. Innovaro, Inc. is based in Tampa, Florida.

Top 5 China Companies To Own In Right Now: Enstar Group Limited (ESGR)

Enstar Group Limited, through its subsidiaries, acquires and manages insurance and reinsurance companies in run-off. The company settles insurance and reinsurance claims. It also offers management and consultancy, claims inspection, and reinsurance collection services to its affiliates and third-party clients. The company operates in the United States, Bermuda, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. Enstar Group Limited was formerly known as Castlewood Holdings Limited and changed its name to Enstar Group Limited. Enstar Group Limited was founded in 2001 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Tortoise Capital Resources Corporation(TTO)

Tortoise Capital Resources Corp. is a close ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Tortoise Capital Advisors L.L.C. It is co-managed by Kenmont Investments Management, L.P. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United States. It seeks to invest primarily in the energy infrastructure sector. The fund invests in the value stocks of micro cap companies with primary focus on midstream and downstream segments and to lesser extent upstream segment. It also seeks to invest between $5.0 million and $20.0 million per transaction in privately held companies with a market capitalization of less than $250 million. The fund employs quantitative and fundamental analysis with a focus on factors such as fixed asset-intensive, limited technological risk, and experienced management teams to create its portfolio. Tortoise Capital Resources Corp. was formed on September 8, 2005 and is domiciled in the United States.

Top 5 Penny Companies To Watch For 2014: Comtech Telecommunications Corp.(CMTL)

Comtech Telecommunications Corp. engages in the design, development, production, and marketing of products, systems, and services for advanced communications solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Telecommunications Transmission, Mobile Data Communications, and RF Microwave Amplifiers. The Telecommunications Transmission segment provides satellite earth station equipment and systems, over-the-horizon microwave systems, and forward error correction technology, which are used in various commercial and government applications, including backhaul of wireless and cellular traffic, broadcasting (including HDTV), IP-based communications traffic, long distance telephony, and secure defense applications. The Mobile Data Communications segment provides mobile satellite transceivers, and computers and satellite earth station network gateways and associated installation, training, and maintenance services; supplies and operates satellite pac ket data networks, including arranging and providing satellite capacity; and offers microsatellites and related components. The RF Microwave Amplifiers segment designs, develops, manufactures, and markets satellite earth station traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) and broadband amplifiers. Its amplifiers are used in broadcast and broadband satellite communication; defense applications, such as telecommunications systems and electronic warfare systems; and commercial applications comprising oncology treatment systems, as well as to amplify signals carrying voice, video, or data for air-to-satellite-to-ground communications. The company serves satellite systems integrators, wireless and other communication service providers, broadcasters, defense contractors, military, governments, and oil companies. Comtech markets its products through independent representatives and value-added resellers. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Melville, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Comtech Telecommunications (CMTL) is another company with a solid dividend whose shares trade at a decent price. The company makes advanced telecommunication products and sells to a wide range of users, including satellite systems integrators, wireless providers, broadcasters and defense contractors — as well as the U.S. government. The company has seen some weakness as military and government orders have slowed and the marketplace remains very competitive, but the long-term outlook is pretty strong. The company has been actively buying back stock and has spent almost $25 million in purchases in the past nine months. Comtech has more than enough cash on hand and very little debt, so the balance sheet is solid and the stock yields 4.5% right now. The company should be able to increase the dividend at a double-digit pace for the next several years at least.