Best Consumer Companies To Own For 2014

Around two years ago, Brazil declared its intention to wean itself off of fertilizer imports by 2020. While acknowledging that it could not fully meet domestic potassium demand, Brazil's stated aim was to become self-sufficient in nitrogen and phosphates, and to reduce its dependence on foreign potash (water-soluble potassium) significantly. Considering that Brazil is one of the world's largest potash consumers, importing 90% of its requirements, might this be shaping up to be a major blow to international producers?

Feeding a hungry planet
Over the last 30 years, Brazil has transformed itself into a breadbasket, and it's done so in large measure by dramatically increasing farm inputs. The government is seeking to close that loop, putting pressure on the industry to triple spending on domestic fertilizer capacity over the course of the next five years.

Best Consumer Companies To Own For 2014: Apogee Minerals Ltd. (APE.V)

Apogee Silver Limited engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in South America. It primarily explores for silver, zinc, and lead deposits. The company�s principal property comprises the Pulacayo-Paca property that covers approximately 34,000 hectares and is located to the east of Uyuni city, Bolivia. It also owns an option to acquire up to 100% interest in the Cachinal Silver project, which consists of 59 concessions covering approximately 16,000 hectares and is located to the southeast of Antofagasta, Chile. The company was formerly known as Apogee Minerals Limited and changed its name to Apogee Silver Limited in March 2011. Apogee Silver Limited was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Best Consumer Companies To Own For 2014: Skilled Healthcare Group Inc.(SKH)

Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, hospices, home health providers, and a rehabilitation therapy business. Its skilled nursing facilities provide specialty care, such as chemotherapy, enteral/parenteral nutrition, tracheotomy care, and ventilator care, as well as offers various services, including room and board, special nutritional programs, social services, recreational activities, and related healthcare and other services. These skilled nursing facilities include Express Recovery, a unit that provides skilled nursing care and rehabilitation therapy for patients recovering from conditions, such as joint replacement surgery, and cardiac and respiratory ailments. The company?s assisted living facilities provide residential accommodations, activities, meals, security, housekeeping, and assistance in the activities of daily living to seniors who are independent or who require some support , but not the level of nursing care provided in a skilled nursing facility. Skilled Healthcare Group also offers ancillary services, such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy, as well as rehabilitation therapy service to third-party skilled nursing operators. In addition, the company offers hospice services comprising palliative and clinical care, education, and counseling with a focus on the physical, spiritual, and psychosocial needs of terminally ill individuals and their families. As of December 31, 2010, it owned or leased 78 skilled nursing facilities and 22 assisted living facilities, together comprising 10,830 licensed beds in California, Texas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, and New Mexico. The company has a joint venture with APS?Summit Care Pharmacy, LLC that operates a pharmacy in Austin, Texas. Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc. is based in Foothill Ranch, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Beacon Equity]

  Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. (NYSE: SKH) shares got a boost on news of possible sale. The company has retained J.P. Morgan Securities LLC to explore options for the company. At last check, the stock was up 9.91% to $15.41 on volume of over 971K shares. The stock has put in a new 52-week high of $15.93 early in the session. (NYSE:SKH), (SKH)

Top Supermarket Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cogent Communications Group Inc.(CCOI)

Cogent Communications Group, Inc. provides high-speed Internet access, Internet Protocol, and communications services primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, communications service providers, and other bandwidth-intensive organizations in North America, Europe, and Japan. It offers on-net services to bandwidth-intensive users, such as universities, other Internet service providers, telephone companies, cable television companies, and commercial content providers; and multi-tenant office buildings, including law firms, financial services firms, advertising and marketing firms, and other professional services businesses. The company also provides its on-net services in carrier-neutral colocation facilities, Cogent controlled data centers, and single-tenant office buildings. In addition, it offers off-net services to businesses that are connected to its network primarily by means of last mile access service lines obtained from other carriers primarily in the form of p oint-to-point TDM, POS, SDH, and/or carrier ethernet circuits. Further, the company provides voice services; and Internet connectivity to customers that are not located in buildings directly connected to the company?s network. Additionally, it operates 43 data centers that allow customers to co-locate their equipment and access its network. Cogent Communications Group, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.