10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now

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Top Food Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Weingarten Realty Investors(WRI)

Weingarten Realty Investors operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company engages in the management, acquisition, and development of real estate. It operates in two segments, Shopping Center and Industrial. The Shopping Center segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of real estate, primarily anchored neighborhood and community shopping centers located in Texas, California, Louisiana, Arizona, Nevada, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, and Maine. Its customer base includes supermarkets, discount retailers, drugstores, and other retailers. The Industrial segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of bulk warehouses and office/service centers. Its properties are located in Texas, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, California, and Tennessee. As of June 30, 2005, Weingarten Realty Investors owned or operated under long -term leases, directly or through its interest in joint ventures or partnerships, a total of 350 developed properties and 3 properties that are in various stages of development. Its properties include 294 shopping centers and 59 industrial properties. Weingarten Realty Investors qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be taxed on the portion of its income, which is distributed to shareholders, provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income. The company was founded in 1948 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Shopping center real estate investment trust (REIT) Weingarten Realty (WRI) raised its quarterly dividend 6.6% to 32.5 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of March 6.
  WGI Dividend Yield: 4.32%

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Doral Financial Corporation (DRL)

Doral Financial Corporation operates as a bank holding company for Doral Bank that provides retail banking services to general public and institutions. It operates through four segments: Puerto Rico, the United States, Liquidating Operations, and Treasury. The company accepts deposits; obtains borrowings; originates and invests in loans, including residential real estate mortgage loans; invests in mortgage-backed securities and other investment securities; and offers traditional banking services. It also offers commercial and construction loan products; and purchases assigned interests in senior credit facilities from the syndicated leverage loan market in the United States. In addition, the company provides consumer loans, such as consumer credit, personal loans, loans on savings deposits, and other consumer loans. Further, it offers commercial real estate loans; commercial loans, including lines of credit and term facilities, and working capital for specific purposes, su ch as to finance the purchase of assets, equipment, or inventory; and construction lending products, as well as industrial and land loans. Additionally, the company originates, purchases, and sells mortgage loans; and offers property, casualty, life, and title insurance products primarily to its mortgage loan customers. It operates a network of 26 branches in Puerto Rico; 3 branches in the metropolitan area of New York; and 5 branches in the northwest area of Florida. Doral Financial Corporation was founded in 1972 and is based San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  An attorney at Doral (NYSE: DRL) stated that the company has “not left negotiations” with Puerto Rico's Treasury. Shares lost 2.86 percent, closing at $8.15.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR)

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poor's SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. The Index serves as the underlying index for the S&P 600/Citigroup Growth and Value Index series. The component stocks are weighted according to the total float-adjusted market value of their outstanding shares. The component stocks in the Index have a market capitalization between $300 million and $1 billion (which may fluctuate depending on the overall level of the equity markets), and are selected for liquidity and industry group representation. The Index is adjusted to reflect changes in capitalization resulting from mergers, acquisition, stock rights, substitutions and other capital events.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  One of the most famous scenes in the cult classic, the Graduate, was when Mr. McGuire�took Dustin Hoffman�� character aside and said�"Ben, I want to say one word to you, just one word: Plastics"; but what about the Berry Plastics Group Inc (NYSE: BERY) and its performance verses that of the�iShares S&P 500 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IVV), iShares Russell Midcap Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA: IWR) and iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IJR)? I should mention that plastics and the Berry Plastics Group was not the place to be yesterday as the stock took a tumble on reduced guidance.

• [By Tom Aspray]

  I still think the emerging markets may be the surprise in 2014 as the technical outlook has improved but a bottom has not yet been confirmed. The more active investor should consider investing in several index-tracking ETFs, but in volatile areas, like the emerging markets, the percentage commitment should be kept low. One should consider not only the large-cap S&P 500 but also the small-cap sectors like iShares S&P 600 Small-Cap (IJR), which I recommended last Wednesday.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: 1st United Bancorp Inc (FUBC)

1st United Bancorp, Inc. (Bancorp) is a financial holding company. 1st United Bank, a Florida state chartered bank, is Bancorp�� wholly owned subsidiary. The Company offers its customers, professionals, high net-worth individuals and small and medium-sized businesses, a variety of traditional loan, deposit and cash management products. As of December 31, 2010, Bancorp operated banking center from 15 locations consisting of four banking centers in Palm Beach County, four banking centers in Broward County, four banking centers in Miami-Dade County, and one banking center each in Sebastian, Vero Beach and Barefoot Bay, Florida. As of December 31, 2010, the total assets of Bancorp were at 1.268 billion and the total loans of the Company were at $847.7 million. As of December 31, 2010, its total deposits were $1.064 billion. On January 8, 2011, the Company purchased all of the assets of The Bank of Miami, National Association (The Bank of Miami). Effective April 1, 2012, the Company merged with Anderen Financial, Inc. (Anderen), under which it acquired Anderen and its subsidiary, Anderen Bank. In July 2013, 1st United Bancorp Inc completed its acquisition by merger of Enterprise Bancorp Inc (EBI) and its wholly owned subsidiary Enterprise Bank of Florida.

Investment Activity

Bancorp�� investment portfolio includes several callable agency debentures, mortgage-backed securities, adjustable rate mortgage pass-throughs, and collateralized mortgage obligations. As of December 31, 2010, the investment portfolio of the Company was at $102,289, 000.

Lending Activity

Bancorp offers a range of loans to its customers. The Company includes commercial loans, which include collateralized loans for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including real estate construction, acquisitions and improvements), and purchase of equipment and machinery; small business loans, including small business administration (SBA) lending; Export-Im! port Bank insured or guaranteed loans; residential real estate loans to enable borrowers to purchase, refinance, construct upon or improve real property, and home equity loans, and consumer loans, including collateralized and uncollateralized loans for financing automobiles, boats, home improvements, and personal investments. As of December 31, 2010, the Company�� Commercial and Industrial loans were approximately $10.3 million, in Export Import (EXIM) loans which have either insurance or a guarantee of between 90% and 100% from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Through the Company�� lending division and SBA division, its commercial real estate loan portfolio includes loans secured by office buildings, warehouses, retail stores and other properties, which are located in or near the markets. Commercial real estate loans are generally originated in amounts up to 80% of the appraised value of the property securing the loan. It originates a mix of fixed rate and adjustable rate residential mortgage loans. It offers adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), and maintains these ARMs in the portfolio or sells the ARMs in the secondary market.

The construction loan portfolio includes residential real estate, commercial real estate and homeowners��association projects. Through the business lending divisions, the Company offers real estate construction loans to individuals for the construction of their residences, to businesses and business owners primarily for owner-occupied, commercial real estate, and to homeowners��associations for general repair and/or improvements to the properties. The Company has construction loans on commercial real estate projects secured by industrial properties, office buildings or other property. The land loan portfolio includes exposure to land development, both residential and commercial. As of December 31, 2010, approximately $7.0 million or 21% of the construction and land development loan portfolio was part of the Loss Share Agreements.

T! he Company originates consumer loans bearing both fixed and prime-based variable interest rates. It originates the loans directly through the banking centers, business bankers and residential lenders. It focus the consumer lending on the origination of direct second mortgage loans and home equity loans (secured by a junior lien on residential real property), and home improvement loans. Second mortgage and home improvement loans generally originate on either a line of credit or a fixed term basis ranging from 5 to 15 years. It also extends personal loans, which may be secured by various forms of collateral, both real and personal, or to a minimal extent, on an unsecured basis.

The Company focus on the commercial loan market consists of small- to medium-sized businesses with combined borrowing needs up to $20.0 million. These businesses include professional associations (physicians, law firms, and accountants), medical services, retail trade, construction, transportation, wholesale trade, manufacturing, and tourism-related service industries. Its commercial loans are derived from the market area and underwritten on the basis of the borrowers��ability to service, such debt from recurring income. The EXIM lending operation makes loans to companies that export United States goods and services to international markets and makes loans to foreign companies to facilitate the purchase of United States goods. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately $10.3 million in Exim loans.

Deposits

Bancorp maintains a range of deposit accounts to meet the needs of the residents and businesses in the primary service area. Products include an array of checking account programs for individuals and small businesses, including money market accounts, certificates of deposit, individual retirement account (IRA) accounts, and sweep investment capabilities. As of December 31, 2010, the Company had approximately $309.5 million in deposits by foreign nationals banking in the United States. A! s of Dece! mber 31, 2010, it had approximately $70 million in wholesale certificates of deposit.

The Company competes with Bank of America, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase & Co., BB&T, PNC, Citigroup and BankUnited, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week came from Boca Raton, Florida-based financial holding company 1st United Bancorp (FUBC), who raised its quarterly dividend 100% to 2 cents per share, payable March 7 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 24.
  FUBC Dividend Yield: 1.07%

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cutwater Select Income Fund (CSI)

Rivus Bond Fund (the Fund), formerly known as 1838 Bond-Debenture Trading Fund, is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The primary objective of the Fund is to maintain high level of income. Its portfolio includes long-term debt securities, including mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Effective July 7, 2006, the 1838 Bond-Debenture Trading Fund merged with and into the Rivus Bond Fund.

The Fund invests in various sectors, including automotive, chemicals, diversified financial services, energy, insurance, media, mining, real estate investment trusts, telecommunications, utilities and transportation. MBIA Capital Management Corp. serves as the investment advisor of the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sold At The Top]

  Today's release of the S&P/Case-Shiller (CSI) home price indices for August reported that the non-seasonally adjusted Composite-10 price index rose a notable 1.33% since July while the Composite-20 index also increased 1.32% over the same period.

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund (JTA)

Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund operates as a diversified and closed-end management investment company. The fund primarily invests in dividend-paying common stocks. It also invests in senior loans, U.S corporate bonds, notes and debentures, convertible debt securities, as well as high yield debt securities. Its portfolio primarily includes investments in oil and gas, diversified telecommunication, services, diversified financial services, tobacco, insurance, aerospace and defense, metals and mining, commercial banks, electric utilities, thrifts and mortagage finance, and paper and forest product sectors. Nuveen Tax-Advantaged Total Return Strategy Fund was organized in 2003 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  According to a Gabelli Funds report, managed distribution policies offer several advantages, including:1. Lower difference between the fund�� market price and its NAV per share.2. Provides support during periods when the stock market is in a decline.3. Provides a measurable performance target for the investment adviser.Below are several high-yield funds from CEFA that have a managed distribution policy (yields as of December 16):Aberdeen Australia Eqty (IAF)- Distribution Yield: 10.4%- Income Yield: 3.46%Bexil Advisers LLC� (DNI)- Distribution Yield: 11.1%- Income Yield: 3.56%BlackRock En Capital&Inc (CII)- Distribution Yield: 8.78%- Income Yield: 2.34%Cornerstone Strat Value (CLM)- Distribution Yield: 18.77%- Income Yield: 1.83%Cornerstone Total Return (CRF)- Distribution Yield: 19.10%- Income Yield: 0.85%Delaware Inv Div & Inc (DDF)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 5.26%Gabelli Equity Trust (GAB)- Distribution Yield: 7.58%- Income Yield: 1.54%Gabelli Utility Trust (GUT)- Distribution Yield: 9.45%- Income Yield: 2.84%MFS Special Value Trust (MFV)- Distribution Yield: 9.60%- Income Yield: 5.73%Nuveen Tx-Adv TR Strat (JTA)- Distribution Yield: 6.70%- Income Yield: 3.12%TCW Strategic Income (TSI)- Distribution Yield: 10.54%- Income Yield: 7.88%Zweig Total Return (ZTR)- Distribution Yield: 7.27%- Income Yield: 1.95%As noted in the Gabelli report, a managed distribution policy may create confusion regarding the true current yield since the reported yield includes the return of capital portion. You can see the disparity above between the income yield and the distribution (reported) yield.If you are looking for a sustainable and growing dividend, you may want to consider some blue-chip dividend stocks such as these with a Free Cash Flow Payout less than 50%, 50+ years of consecutive dividend increases and a 2%+ yield:3M Co. (MMM) is a diversified global company provides enhanced product functionality in electronics, health care, industrial, consumer

10 Best Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: EastGroup Properties Inc. (EGP)

EastGroup Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), focuses on the development, acquisition, and operation of industrial properties in the United States. As of December 31, 2007, it owned 202 industrial properties and 1 office building, as well as approximately 1.7 million square feet properties in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income tax purposes, provided it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its shareholders. EastGroup Properties, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brad Thomas]

  Other REITs mentioned: (O), (NNN), (STAG), (DCT), (EGP), (PDM), (DRE), (LRY)

  Source: Chambers Street: More Liquidity Magic On The Way In REIT-Dom

  Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Sunbelt industrial property investor�EastGroup Properties� (NYSE: EGP  ) �announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.53�per share, the same rate it paid for the last three quarters after raising the payout 2%, from $0.52 per share. It had previously maintained that same payout rate since 2005.