Best Stocks To Buy

Shares of JCPenney (JCP) fell below the $7 mark this week, bringing 1-month losses to around 50% and 12-month losses to 75%. That’s the lowest level JCP stock has seen in 33 years.

JCPenney stock did manage to regain a sliver of recent losses yesterday, but that still wasn’t enough to send shares of JCP back over the $7 mark, much less bring them back to the 20-day moving average just over $8.�JCPenney stock closed up 1.87% at $6.50 for the day.

Fun fact: That makes the share price less than the amount of cash JCPenney held per share as of the end of the second quarter.

The balance sheet could have changed slightly since then — something we will find out when third-quarter JCPenney earnings are released next month, on Nov. 19. But it seems likely that there will still be little value, if any, in shares of JCP stock beyond the company’s pile of cash.

Top Semiconductor Stocks To Own Right Now: NetSpend Holdings Inc.(NTSP)

Netspend Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides general purpose reloadable (GPR) prepaid debit and payroll cards, and alternative financial service solutions to underbanked and other consumers in the United States. Its GPR cards offer access to FDIC-insured depository accounts with a menu of pricing and features tailored to underbanked consumers needs; and serves as access devices to an FDIC-insured depository account with a bank. The company also provides various products and services to its cardholders, such as direct deposit, interest-bearing savings accounts, bill pay functionality, card-to-card transfer capability, personal financial management tools, and online and mobile phone card account access, as well as overdraft protection through its issuing Banks, and complimentary insurance coverage services. Netspend Holdings, Inc. markets its cards through various distribution channels, including retail distributors, direct-to-consumer and online marketi ng programs, and contractual relationships with corporate employers. As of December 31, 2011, it offered approximately 2.1 million active cards through approximately 600 retail distributors at approximately 40,000 locations; and reload services through approximately 450 retailers at approximately 130,000 locations. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jane Edmondson]

  One additional item of note: the stock has been a rumored take-out candidate since another large competitor, NetSpend (NTSP), received an offer to be acquired in February by global payment solutions provider TSYS (TSS).

Best Stocks To Buy: Ensign Group Inc (ENSG)

The Ensign Group, Inc., incorporated in 1999, is a holding company. The Company is a provider of skilled nursing and rehabilitative care services through the operation of 103 facilities, five home health and three hospice operations located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Its facilities provide a spectrum of skilled nursing, assisted living, home health and hospice services, including physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services, for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients. Its walk-in clinics will offer daily access to healthcare for minor injuries and illnesses, including x-ray and lab services, all from convenient neighborhood locations with no appointments. In March 2014, the Company acquired Horizon Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center, a 196-bed skilled nursing facility in Glendale, Arizona.

On January 1, 2011, the Company purchased one skilled nursing facility which also offers assisted living and independent living services and one independent living facility. On February 1, 2011, the Company purchased one skilled nursing facility in Utah, which also offers assisted living and independent living services. On March 18, 2011, the Company purchased one assisted living facility in California. On May 15, 2011, the Company purchased a home health and hospice operation in Utah. On June 1, 2011, the Company purchased an assisted living facility in Nevada. On July 18, 2011, the Company acquired nine skilled nursing facilities. On August 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Texas; the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Utah, and the Company acquired an independent living facility. On October 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in California. On December 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Nevada. On December 30, 2011, the Company acquired an assisted living facility in Ari! zona. In November 2011, the Company acquired Pocatello Care and Rehabilitation Center. On November 22, 2011, the Company acquired Homecare Solutions.

The Company's facilities provide a range of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services, for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 102 facilities, of which it owned 77 and operated an additional 25 facilities under long-term lease arrangements, and had options to purchase five of those 25 facilities.

The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries, which include the Service Center, provides centralized accounting, payroll, human resources, information technology, legal, risk management and other centralized services to the other operating subsidiaries through contractual relationships with such subsidiaries. The Company also has a wholly owned captive insurance subsidiary (the Captive) that provides some claims-made coverage to the Company's operating subsidiaries for general and professional liability, as well as coverage for some workers' compensation insurance liabilities.

Skilled nursing facility revenue is primarily derived from Medicaid, private pay, managed care and Medicare payors. The Company�� skilled nursing facilities provide Medicaid-covered services to individuals consisting of nursing care, room and board and social services. Rehabilitation therapy revenue is primarily received from private pay and Medicare for services provided at skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. Assisted living facility revenue is primarily derived from private pay residents. In addition, Medicaid or other programs in some states where it operates supplement payments for board and care services provided in assisted living facilities. Hospice revenues are primarily derived from Medicare. It derives substantially all of the revenue from its home health busines! s from Me! dicare and Managed Care sources. Its home health care services generally consist of providing some combination of the services of registered nurses, speech, occupational and physical therapists, medical social workers and certified home health aides.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Ensign Group (NASDAQ: ENSG  ) has a new asset in its medicine chest. The company announced that, at the end of June, it had closed the acquisition of the Mountain View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Washington state. The center is an 82-bed skilled nursing facility located in the town of Marysville. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, although Ensign Group admitted that the purchase was effected in cash.

• [By Jim Royal]

  The business and special situation
  CareTrust was spun out of The Ensign Group (NASDAQ: ENSG  ) nearly six months ago, and it's done little but decline since then. CareTrust is a small REIT -- market cap of about $360 million -- that owns healthcare properties. Right now its portfolio is comprised almost exclusively of Ensign's former real estate, 143 locations, leaving the REIT exposed to entirely one operator. However, rent coverage is excellent and Ensign is one of the best healthcare operators around.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Stocks To Buy: National Australia Bank Ltd (NAUBF)

National Australia Bank Limited is a financial services organization providing products, advice and services through its major Australian franchise and businesses. The Company�� segment includes Business Banking, Personal Banking, Wholesale Banking, UK Banking and NZ Banking, MLC and NAB, Great Western Bank (GWB), the Corporate Functions and Other segment. MLC is the wealth management division of the National Australia Bank (NAB). In January 2014, Sandfire Resources NL announced that National Australia Bank Limited and its associated entities have ceased to be the substantial holder of the Company. In January 2014, Commonwealth Property Office Fund announced that National Australia Bank Ltd and its associated entities have ceased to be a substantial shareholder in Commonwealth Property Office Fund. In February 2014, Fairfax Media Ltd announced that National Australia Bank Ltd and its associated entities ceased holding interest in the capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Inman]

  National Australia Bank (AU:NAB) � (NAUBF) �fell 1.8% in Sydney after the lender posted full-year earnings in line with market forecasts, though costs were ahead of expectations.

Best Stocks To Buy: Ishares Gold Trust (IAU)

ishares Gold Trust (the Trust), incorporated on January 21, 2005, is to own gold transferred to the Trust in exchange for shares issued by the Trust (Shares). Each Share represents a fractional undivided beneficial interest in the net assets of the Trust. The assets of the Trust consist of gold held by the Trust�� custodian on behalf of the Trust. The sponsor of the Trust is BlackRock Asset Management International Inc. (the Sponsor). The trustee of the Trust is The Bank of New York Mellon (the Trustee) and the custodian of the Trust is JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London branch (the Custodian).

The activities of the Trust are limited to issuing Baskets of Shares in exchange for the gold deposited with the Custodian as consideration; selling gold as necessary to cover the Sponsor�� fee, Trust expenses not assumed by the Sponsor and other liabilities, and delivering gold in exchange for Baskets of Shares surrendered for redemption. It does not engage in any activities designed to obtain a profit from, or to ameliorate losses caused by, changes in the price of gold.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Pham]

  Although the Fed doubled its bond buying last September, the top gold exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, including SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) , iShares Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: IAU  ) , and ETFS Physical Swiss Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: SGOL  ) , have dropped around 25% each over the last 12 months, which speaks to gold's extreme vulnerability to QE tapering. Even the mere mention of tapering seems to send gold into a tailspin, as seen with SPDR Gold Shares, which has plunged 24% year to date and also suffered massive losses with its physical holdings. Market Vectors Gold Miners ETF (NYSEMKT: GDX  ) has suffered a massive drop of 48% so far in 2013, making it one of the worst-performing ETFs this year.

• [By WilliamBriat]

  For those investors who agree with this position that gold bullion should be a part of their portfolio, you may want to look at exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like the iShares Gold Trust (NYSE: IAU). This ETF provides investors with exposure to gold bullion, and it’s a cheaper alternative to the SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE: GLD) ETF.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Moreover, historians point to the 1933 executive order that required individuals to deliver gold coins, bullion, and certificates to banks in exchange for regular currency at a rate of $20.67 per ounce as being functionally equivalent to confiscation. With the government proceeding to devalue the dollar to $35 per gold ounce the following year, those who complied with the order suffered a substantial loss of purchasing power. Indeed, many gold investors use that same argument in arguing against bullion ETFs SPDR Gold Trust (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) , iShares Gold (NYSEMKT: IAU  ) , and iShares Silver Trust (NYSEMKT: SLV  ) , preferring instead to take physical possession of their gold and silver to ensure its safekeeping themselves.

• [By Quoth the Raven]

  The other common way to invest is through ETFs such as iShares Gold Trust (IAU), which basically track the price of the commodity by physically purchasing bullion. The ETFs asset price reflect the price as which it trades for. If the underlying asset is silver, the ETF trades proportional to what the silver's worth.

Best Stocks To Buy: MAKO Surgical Corp.(MAKO)

MAKO Surgical Corp., a medical device company, markets its advanced robotic arm solution and orthopedic implants for orthopedic procedures in the United States and internationally. The company offers MAKOplasty, a restorative surgical solution that enables orthopedic surgeons to treat patient specific osteoarthritic disease. It also provides robotic arm interactive orthopedic system (RIO) consisting of a tactile robotic arm utilizing an integrated bone cutting instrument; and a patient specific visualization component, which offers pre-operative and intra-operative guidance to the orthopedic surgeon, enabling tissue sparing bone removal, and accurate implant insertion and alignment. The company?s MAKOplasty partial knee arthroplasty solution enables resurfacing of one or two specific diseased compartments of the joint, preserving more soft tissue and healthy bone of the knee; and MAKOplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty, a surgical solution that enables orthopedic surgeons to pe rform total hip arthroplasty. In addition, it offers tactile guidance system, which allows orthopedic surgeons to treat degenerative knee osteoarthritis from early-stage unicompartmental degeneration through mid-stage multicompartmental degeneration with a modular knee implant system; and RESTORIS family of implants for use in single and bicompartmental knee resurfacing procedures. The company markets its products through direct sales force, as well as through independent orthopedic product agents and distributors. MAKO Surgical Corp. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  Just a few weeks ago, I noted that�MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) �had taken two steps to show the world just how serious it is about protecting its turf in robotically assisted orthopedic surgery.

• [By Steve Symington]

  But, while iRobot is focusing on hospital bedside care, other robotics companies like�Intuitive Surgical�and MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) are commanding a place in the operating room.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Most of those losses have come in the past week, as Intuitive Surgical issued some preliminary results from the second quarter. In the early report, the company said that it expected net income of $160 million on sales of $575 million, with both figures being roughly 10% below what analysts had previously expected. The company cited hospitals holding off on purchases, weakness in hospital admissions numbers, and conservative decisions from health insurance companies as weighing on its results, even though it reported an 18% jump in the number of surgical procedures performed. MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) has also pulled back on the news, as investors fear that the same trends will affect its results adversely as well -- with potentially greater ramifications, given that, unlike Intuitive, MAKO isn't profitable.

• [By Dan Caplinger, Max Macaluso, and David Williamson]

  In the following video, Fool health-care bureau chief Max Macaluso asks Dan for his pick on a stock that could benefit from Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Dan singles out Medtronic (NYSE: MDT  ) as a potential winner, noting that with the current government shutdown impasse in Washington, lawmakers are looking to use Obamacare as leverage to make political gains. One possible issue that could come into play in the shutdown debate is the medical-device excise tax that Obamacare imposed on Medtronic and its peers, and opponents of the tax could seek to win its repeal in exchange for support of a spending measure and debt ceiling increase, potentially returning lost profits back to Medtronic. Moreover, the recent buyout offer that Stryker (NYSE: SYK  ) made to acquire MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO  ) has turned attention to the medical-device sector once again. Dan and Max discuss the likelihood of a congressional deal to eliminate the tax, and Fool health-care analyst David Williamson also weighs in with his assessment of whether enough bipartisan support exists for the provision to get repealed.

Best Stocks To Buy: ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets (EUM)

ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets (the Fund) seeks daily investment results that correspond to the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index adjusts the market capitalization of index constituents for free float and targets for index inclusion 85% of free float-adjusted market capitalization in each industry group in global emerging markets countries. The Fund takes positions in securities and/or financial instruments that, in combination, should have similar daily return characteristics as -100% of the daily return of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a price return index. The Fund�� investment advisor is ProShare Advisors LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anthony Mirhaydari]

  Editor�� note: This column is part of our Best Stocks for 2014 contest. Anthony Mirhaydari’s pick for the contest is the�ProShares Short MSCI Emerging Markets ETF�(EUM).