What Not to Buy for Valentine's Day

If you haven't already bought Valentine's Day gifts for your loved ones, take note: There are several items you should avoid buying if you value getting a good deal. Granted, it's difficult letting price dictate Valentine's Day purchases if your sweetie is expecting something particular. But you can get these four things for much less when retailers dramatically slash prices on them after February 14.

SEE ALSO: Best Buys of Winter

Chocolate. You can find affordable boxes of chocolate. But if your significant other won't settle for anything less than the best, you'll be better off surprising him or her with a special treat in March. Those boxes of chocolates that didn't get snapped up for Valentine's Day will be marked down by as much as 50% in March, according to dealnews.com, and you'll find the best deals at high-end chocolate shops. Dealnews.com recommends looking at stores such as Godiva and the gift section of department stores for decadent ways to treat your loved one on a budget.

Jewelry. You might see a few retailers offering modest discounts on jewelry before Valentine's Day. But if you wait a week or two after February 14, you'll see jewelry at many stores marked down as much as 80%, says Offers.com savings expert Amber Sager.

Perfume. Perfume sales tend to peak around Valentine's Day (and Christmas). So retailers tend to discount perfume heavily after these holidays have passed. Luke Knowles, creator of FreeShipping.org, says consumers can expect prices to be slashed by as much as 50% in March, with the best sales at Web sites dedicated to perfume.

Roses. Prices for red roses are notoriously high on Valentine's Day. The markup can be attributed to demand. More labor is needed to harvest such a massive number or roses and more cargo space is needed to ship them, according to Bankrate.com. And those extra costs are passed on to the consumer. 1800Flowers.com, for example, is charging $50 for a dozen roses. It'll cost you another $10 for a basic vase, $15 for delivery plus a $5 surcharge to guarantee delivery on Valentine's Day. Throw in tax and you're looking at paying about $7 per rose.

How to Get Deals on Valentine's Gifts

Okay, so we've just told you not to buy the most popular Valentine's gifts because you'll pay a premium for them. What now? There are ways to avoid paying the full retail price for some of these items, or you could consider alternatives that actually are on sale now.

Look for coupons. You may be able to find department store coupons that can be used storewide, so they may help you get a discount on chocolate, jewelry and perfume. For jewelry, in particular, dealnews.com recommends looking for coupons for lower-cost jewelry sites such as Ice.com, Limoges Jewelry, Netaya and Ross-Simons. And several of the major online florists, such as 1800Flowers.com and ProFlowers.com, have promotional codes for 20% off or more. You can find coupon codes at sites such as Offers.com and RetailMeNot.com.

Shop around. Rather than just heading to the mall in hopes of finding a decent price on jewelry or perfume, compare prices online at PriceGrabber.com or several stores' sites to find the lowest price on the specific item you want to buy. For flowers, you might find that local florists offer lower prices than online florists -- even those with coupons -- so compare prices before placing an order. This is especially true if you pick up the flowers from a local florist rather than paying extra for delivery. (See How to Get the Best Price on Valentine's Roses.)

Give a gift card. Unless you know what type of perfume your sweetie wears or the specific piece of jewelry she wants, you'll probably be better off giving her a gift card so she can get exactly what she wants ... when the price is much lower after Valentine's Day. And to get even more bang for your buck you can find discounted gift cards at sites such as Gift Card Granny.

Consider alternatives. Rather than spring for pricey red roses, opt for an orchid or other potted flower that will cost less and last longer. Although not as romantic as jewelry or perfume, a nice winter coat for evenings on the town could make a great gift -- especially considering that you'll get a great deal on one now. Retailers are marking down outerwear and cold-weather clothing an extra 30% to 60% on top of clearance prices that already are 70% off original prices, according to dealnews.com. You'll also find great deals on televisions for cozy nights at home watching your favorite movies. See 6 Great TVs at Great Prices and Best and Worst Buys of February for more things you can get for a good price this month.

Treasurys slide in preparation for jobs report

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — Treasury prices fell Thursday, sending yields higher for the third-consecutive session as investors make last-minute trades ahead of a much-watched jobs report.

Traders will be watching the data on January jobs creation — scheduled for release Friday morning — particularly carefully given that a December report showed exceedingly soft growth. The market is looking for signs of whether that number, and other recent weak data, were simply a disruption as a result of cold weather, or if the U.S. economic recovery is actually slowing. Economists forecast gains of 190,000 jobs.

"I suspect a lot of this is also position squaring. Some longs are getting out before the payrolls number," said Ira Jersey, interest-rate strategist with Credit Suisse Group AG.

Reuters Enlarge Image Mario Draghi, President of the European Central Bank (ECB), attempted to quell concerns about disinflation and the threat of deflation in the euro zone on Thursday

The 10-year note (10_YEAR)  yield, which rises as prices fall, was up 4 basis points at 2.706%. The 30-year bond (30_YEAR)  yield rose 2.5 basis points to 3.678%, and the 5-year note (5_YEAR)  yield climbed 3 basis points to 1.520%.

Treasury yields have been falling for most of the year thus far, as weaker data, pared with a reduction in the Federal Reserve's bond-buying stimulus program and frailty in emerging markets, sent investors into haven government debt.

But investors favored risk assets Thursday, with stocks rising sharply , which took away demand from safe assets like Treasurys, said Jersey.

Top 10 Blue Chip Companies To Invest In 2015

Treasurys were also hit by better-than-expected U.S. weekly jobless claims data on Thursday morning. The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell by 20,000 to 331,000. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected 337,000 applications. Jobless claims have been particularly volatile in recent weeks due to the winter weather.

Click to Play Markets stabilize after a wild ride

Barron's Brendan Conway discusses Bank of England's decision to keep interest rates steady and GM's earnings. Coca-Cola buys a stake in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The U.S. warns of potential of explosive on planes to Russia. Photo: Getty.

"The reading for the February 1 week is probably in line with underlying conditions. However, another series of severe winter storms in the following week could send filings higher again," said Terry Sheehan, economic analyst at Stone & McCarthy Research Associates, in a note.

Commerce Department data also showed a 12% climb in the trade deficit in December, after a sharp drop in November. The deficit rose to $38.7 billion, compared with $34.6 billion in November. Economists had expected a $36 billion reading. A widening trade deficit means the U.S. is buying more goods from its trading partners and selling less; it can be a negative signal about economic growth.

Haven euro zone bond yields moved higher as the European Central Bank sounded an upbeat note on the euro zone's economic recovery. Some had expected ECB President Mario Draghi to cut key interest rates, but instead the central banker attempted to quell concerns about disinflation and threat of deflation in the euro zone.

During the press conference, the euro (EURUSD) spiked against the dollar, European stocks (XX:SXXP) trimmed gains, and haven government debt yields climbed. The 10-year German bund (BX:TMBMKDE-10Y) , which rises as prices fall, was up 6 basis points at 1.606%, and the UK 10-year gilt (BX:TMBMKGB-10Y)  yield is up 5.5 basis points at 2.745%, according to Tradeweb.

More must-read stories on bonds:

CVS decision isn't as bad for tobacco muni bonds as Puerto Rico

Bill Gross: bonds may gain, stocks fall on slow credit growth

Gundlach, Gross fund outflows highlight embattled bond market

Shipping on hold as ice locks up Great Lakes

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The amount of the ice on the Great Lakes so far this season exceeds the long-term average for maximum coverage.

And plenty of winter remains.

MORE: Coldest Jan. in decades for many places
2013: Shrinking ice worries Great Lakes scientists

About 70.7% of the lakes were covered in ice this week, up from 60.1% last week and a maximum ice of 38.4% in the same period of 2013 and 12.9% in 2012.

This year's total is closer to the amount last seen in 2009. The extensive amount of ice could mean a slow start to the 2014 shipping season in March.

"Because we have so much ice, ... we're going to have to have some ice-breaking work just to move some ships around before we get the winds and weather to move the ice and get it away from the system, " said Mark Gill, director of vessel traffic services with the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. "Everybody wants to go, and everybody is laid up in different places."

Large chunks of the Great Lakes fleet spend the winter in shipyards, like Bay Shipbuilding Co. in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., for repair and renovation.

"We're going to have to go from port to port and form convoy lines to get everyone from these satellite locations into the main shipping lanes," Gill said. "That takes time, and time is money."

The Coast Guard is meeting with American and Canadian shipping officials to talk about plans for spring, he said.

“We had the first polar vortex, ... and the ice cover on the lakes just took off.”

— George Leshkevich, Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory

"It's going to be a slow, deliberate, move," he said about the start of the season. "We still have eight weeks of cold weather. ... If we continue on the track we are, we're going to continue to make ice and we're going to have more ice than we have icebreakers to deal with it."

The Coast Guard has nine ships on the lakes to combat the ice. Canada operates a pair of ice-breaking vessels.

The shippin! g season usually gets into full swing with the opening of the Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie, which is scheduled for March 25.

While this year's ice coverage exceeds recent years, it's still a long way from the 94.7% in the winter of 1979, according to figures from Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. The lab is operated by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The long-term average for maximum ice coverage is about 51%. Maximum ice coverage usually occurs in February and into early March.

"We had the first polar vortex, ... and the ice cover on the lakes just took off," said George Leshkevich, scientist with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory. "Lake Erie is about 96% ice covered now."

It is the most shallow of the lakes. Lake Superior is the deepest but also is the farthest north.

Last week, Lake Superior was about 69% ice covered; Lake Michigan 46% covered; Lake Huron 71% covered; and Lake Ontario about 26% covered.

Tom Hansen of Green Bay, Wis., drills holes while ice fishing Jan. 29, 2014, on the bay of Green Bay near Cecil Depeau Bay Shore Park(Photo: H. Marc Larson, Green Bay (Wis.) Press-Gazette)

"Compared to winters in the '70s and '80s, it's not terribly anomalous," Leshkevich said. "It's just that we haven't seen this much ice in the past two to three years, so when we get it it seems like a lot. It depends on which years you are comparing it to."

VIDEO: Ice levels on Lake Mich. highest in decades

It's still too early to tell what, if any, effect the amount of ice now on the lakes will have on next month's shipping season start.

"It depends on if we continue with the cold temperatures. T! he winds ! can have a great effect on the ice cover as well, breaking it up and moving it around," Leshkevich said. "If it continues like this, it could pose some serious problems at the start of the season. But it's very much dependent on the weather conditions."

Cold temperatures in the fall and early winter led to some early formation of ice on the lakes, which cut into the amount of cargo moving via ship. The Port of Green Bay ended operations a little earlier than normal.

"The ice and the weather really took a chunk out of iron ore and western coal" shipments during late-season shipping, said Glen Nekvasil, vice president of the Ohio-based Lake Carriers' Association. "Cargo that was booked to move in December and January didn't get loaded. If people can get going early, they will want to."

Ships move hundreds of tons of cargo — including iron ore, coal and grain — on the five lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway that connects the lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.

The industry can't do much about the ice. Nekvasil said this winter points to the importance of the fleet of nine ice breaking vessels that the Coast Guard operates around the lakes.

"Without good ice-breaking resources, cargo does not move," he said.

A number of the ships are expected to undergo upgrades to extend the life of the vessels another 30 years. All of the ships are expected to be upgraded by 2020.

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Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now

Strong insider activity has been registered at Yum! Brands (YUM) lately. Several people related to the company have purchased its stock following the third quarter earnings call, which took place last week. The acquisitions also coincided with the announcement of a quarterly dividend, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 1 (applicable to investors of record on Friday, Oct. 11). The company will yield about 2% of the current stock price, rewarding those who bet on the company.

However, Oct. 11 is already past and thus, new stockholders will not receive the upcoming dividend. So, is Yum still a worthy investment for the long term? Are these insider purchases worth following? Or are there better choices in the restaurant industry?

International Expansion Is Key

Yum is the world麓s largest restaurant company and, as such, has attracted many investors over the years. However, the business麓 last quarterly results have failed to meet its expectations. Yum missed revenues and earnings consensus estimates last quarter, mainly due to weak results in China and a tax increase. Nevertheless, these problems should only impact on short-term results, as they can be mostly attributed to macro-related issues. So, one question remains: What about the long-term?

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: TPC Group Inc.(TPCG)

TPC Group Inc. produces and sells value-added products derived from petrochemical raw materials to chemical and petroleum based companies in North America. The company operates in two segments, C4 Processing and Performance Products. The C4 Processing segment offers butadiene that is primarily used to produce synthetic rubber used in tires and other automotive products; butene-1, which is principally used in the manufacture of plastic resins and synthetic alcohols; raffinates that are primarily used to manufacture alkylate; and methyl tertiary butyl ether, which is principally used as a gasoline blending stock. The Performance Products segment provides high purity isobutylene, which is primarily used in the production of synthetic rubber, lubricant additives, surfactants, and coatings; conventional polyisobutylenes and highly reactive polyisobutylenes that are principally used in the production of fuel and lubricant additives, caulks, adhesives, sealants, and packaging; di isobutylene, which is primarily used in the manufacture of surfactants, plasticizers, and resins; and nonene and tetramer that are principally used in the production of plasticizers, surfactants, and lubricant additives. The company was formerly known as Texas Petrochemicals Inc. and changed its name to TPC Group Inc. in January 2010. TPC Group Inc. was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  TPC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:TPCG), a leading fee-based processor and service provider of value-added products derived from niche petrochemical raw materials, reported that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with investment funds sponsored by First Reserve Corporation, a leading global investment firm dedicated to the energy industry, and SK Capital Partners, a U.S. based private investment firm focused on the chemicals sector.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Teekay Corporation(TK)

Teekay Corporation engages in the marine transportation of crude oil and gas in Bermuda and internationally. Its Shuttle Tanker and FSO segment operates shuttle tankers, and floating storage and off-take (FSO) units for offloading and transportation of cargo from oil field installations to onshore terminals; and provides floating storage services for oil field installations. The company?s FPSO segment provides floating production, processing, and storage services through floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units. Its Liquefied Gas segment comprises liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas carriers. The company?s Conventional Tanker segment operates conventional crude oil and product tankers that are employed on long-term fixed-rate time-charter contracts. As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 151 vessels, including 11 vessels under construction. The company serves energy and utility companies, oil traders, oil and LNG consumers, p etroleum product producers, government agencies, and various other entities that depend upon marine transportation. Teekay Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Hot High Tech Companies To Invest In 2015: SuperValu Inc.(SVU)

SUPERVALU INC., together with its subsidiaries, operates retail food stores in the United States. Its stores offer grocery, general merchandise, health and beauty care, pharmacy, and fuel products. The company operates stores under the Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher?s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw?s, Shop ?n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Star Market banners, as well as in-store pharmacies under the Osco and Sav-on banners. It operates approximately 2,394 traditional and hard-discount retail food stores, including 899 licensed Save-A-Lot stores. The company also offers supply chain services, which include wholesale distribution of products to independent retailers, including single and multiple grocery store independent operators, regional and national chains, mass merchants, and the military customers, as well as provides logistics support services. SUPERVALU was founded in 1871 and is based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Andrew Marder]

  Coming from the world of retail, I'm happy for someone to market to me when that marketing is good. The unexpected purchase that comes along only because a good sales person really gets me fired up is a purchase that I love to make. But sometimes what the company thinks is exciting strikes me as odd. In its last earnings release, as one of a mere five lead points, SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) highlighted that sales fell less quickly this quarter. Huzzah!

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) will release its quarterly report on Thursday, and investors are increasingly optimistic that the grocery-store chain has finally turned the corner, and is poised for a rebound. Although the company is much smaller after having divested itself of several of its biggest chains, SUPERVALU nevertheless has the potential to remain profitable.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Neutra Corp (NTRR)

Neutra Corp. incorporated on January 11, 2011, is a development-stage company. The Company�� business and registered office is located in Sarasota, Florida. The Company�� intended private label products consists of aging, cognitive support, antioxidants/flavonoids, circulatory support, detoxification support, endocrine support, essential fatty acids, gastrointestinal support, immune support, men�� health, minerals, mood/sleep support, multiples, musculoskeletal support, neurological support, proteins/amino acids, vitamins, women�� health and veterinary products. The Company�� product focuses to research and development in a range of areas, such as weight-loss, detox, men�� health, acid-alkali pH balance, anti-aging, sleep disorders, autism, pain management with the use of medical cannabis products, and air space sanitation derived by nutraceutical technology.

The Company focuses to market and sell nutraceutical supplement products to health practitioners. It focuses direct marketing and sales towards Members of the American Association for Health Freedom (American Association for Health Freedom has merged with Alliance for Natural Health) www.anh-usa.org; American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, www.naturopathic.org; American Association of Oriental Medicine, www.aaom.org, and American College for Advancement in Medicine, www.acamnet.org. It also focuses direct marketing and sales towards American Holistic Medical Association, www.holisticmedicine.org; American Dietetic Association, www.eatright.org, and American Herbalist Guild, www.americanherbalistsguild.com.

The Company competes with Thone Research, The Vitamin Company, Nutraceutical International Corporation, Protocol For Life, Medagenics and Standard Process.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, NTRR has shed (-5.26%) down -0.020 at $.360 with 14,150 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:46AM EDT July 3, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Neutra Corp. through a key new partnership with an innovative cannabis delivery systems provider in the medical marijuana industry, is poised to make an impact in the lucrative $52 billion pain management market.

  With partner Field of View Technologies, LLC, exploring new technology in cannabis delivery systems, NTRR is ready to provide much-needed smokeless delivery systems to those most in need: patients forced to live with debilitating pain.

  A recent study by Columbia University found that smoke-free cannabinoid medication was effective in treating pain. Smokeless delivery systems can be administered orally, by injection or topically, giving the patient the choice of treatment method as NTRR and Field of View set the pace in the potentially lucrative pain management market.

• [By CRWE]

  Today, NTRR surged (+19.45%) up +0.068 at $.420 with 22,114 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:17AM EDT July 11, 2013).

  As Neutra Corp. works to deliver new innovations to the U.S. medical marijuana industry, the market for those innovations continues to grow. Last week, lawmakers passed a bill to make New Hampshire the 19th state to approve medical marijuana (MMJ) prescriptions for patients with chronic or terminal illnesses.

  The legislation will make New Hampshire the 19th state to legalize MMJ, in addition to the District of Columbia. Five more states have legislation pending to legalize prescriptions, according to ProCon.org.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: HERITAGE OIL LTD ORD NPV(HOIL.L)

Heritage Oil Plc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties in Africa, the Middle East, and Russia. It has exploration projects in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Malta, Tanzania, Pakistan, Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as a producing property in Russia. The company was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in St Helier, Channel Islands.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: China Jo-Jo Drugstores Inc.(CJJD)

China Jo-Jo Drugstores, Inc. owns and operates a retail pharmacy chain in the People?s Republic of China. Its stores sell various medicinal products, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, nutritional supplements, traditional Chinese medicine products, personal care products, family care products, and medical devices, as well as convenience products including consumable, seasonal, and promotional items. The company also has licensed doctors, who provide consultation, examination, and treatment of common ailments. In addition, its stores include medical clinics that offer urgent care, traditional Chinese medicines, and minor outpatient surgical treatments. The company operates a chain of approximately 55 drugstores under the Jiuzhou Grand Pharmacy Quannuo Grand Pharmacy, and Lydia Grand Pharmacy brand names. The company is headquartered in Hangzhou, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

   

   

  Another under-$10 drug retailer that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is China Jo-Jo Drugstores (CJJD), which operates as a retailer and distributor of pharmaceutical and other health care products in the People's Republic of China. This stock has been on fire for the last three months, with shares ripping higher by 46%.

  If you take a look at the chart for China Jo-Jo Drugstores you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong over the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of 65 cents per share to its recent high of $1.18 a share. During that uptrend, shares of CJJD have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CJJD within range of triggering a big breakout trade above some near-term and past overhead resistance levels.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in CJJD if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $1.18 a share and then once it clears some past overhead resistance levels at $1.21 to $1.32 a share high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 99,122 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CJJD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.70 to its 52-week high at $1.99 a share.

  Traders can look to buy CJJD off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below its 50-day moving average of 98 cents per share. One can also buy CJJD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Monday will be a busy day for earnings releases, though not from any of the Dow's components. Things will heat up for the index on Tuesday, with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE  ) and Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) both set to report earnings before the opening bell on Tuesday.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Big pharmaceutical company Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) received a boost from an analyst at Jefferies today. The firm increased Merck's rating from a hold to a buy. The analyst feels Merck is among the best restructuring plays in the drug business, and that the company will likely spin off units as its core pharmaceutical business underperforms. Merck does have an animal division as well as a consumer health unit, which could both be peeled away. Shares of Merck are up 2.12% this morning.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Although it has no commercialized drugs to generate revenue, Lexicon has been able to keep going through the years by forming relationships with larger organizations. For example, Lexicon and Merck (NYSE: MRK  ) have worked together for several years to develop biotherapeutic drugs. The partnership with Merck has netted Lexicon $52.5 million in revenue for development.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Bank of South Carolina Corp.(BKSC)

Bank of South Carolina Corporation operates as the holding company for The Bank of South Carolina that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals, and small and medium-sized businesses in South Carolina. The company accepts a range of deposit products, which include checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, and other time deposits, such as daily money market accounts and longer-term certificates of deposit. It also offers various commercial loans, including secured and unsecured loans for working capital, business expansion, and purchasing machinery and equipment; mortgage loans; industrial loans; real estate loans; loans to individuals for household, family, and other personal expenditures; and other loans, including overdrafts. In addition, the company provides Internet banking services, including online bill pay and remote deposit capture; credit cards; check card services; and saf e deposit boxes, letters of credit, travelers checks, direct deposit of payroll, social security and dividend payments, and automatic payment of insurance premiums and mortgage loans. Further, it offers a courier service and ACH origination service as part of its deposit services for commercial customers; and a portfolio of wealth management/trust, investment, and retirement services. The company has four banking house locations in Charleston, Summerville, and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. It serves customers in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Financial institutions holding company Bank of South Carolina (BKSC) raised its dividend 8.3% to 13 cents per share, payable on Oct. 31 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 7.
  BKSC Dividend Yield: 3.72%

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Pacific Wildcat Resources Corp (PAW.V)

Pacific Wildcat Resources Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition and development of rare earth, tantalum, and niobium mineral properties in Africa. It primarily focuses on the resource definition of the Mrima Hill rare earth and niobium project in Kenya. The company also owns and operates the Muiane tantalum mine in Mozambique. Pacific Wildcat Resources Corp. is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lifetime Brands Inc.(LCUT)

Lifetime Brands Inc. designs, sources, and sells branded kitchenware, tabletop, and other products primarily in the United States. It offers kitchenware products, including kitchen tools and gadgets, cutlery, cutting boards, bakeware, and cookware; and tabletop products, such as dinnerware, flatware, and glassware. The company also provides home solutions that comprise products, such as food storage, pantry ware, spices, and home d�or products. In addition, it manufactures sterling silver products. The company owns or licenses various brands, including Farberware, Mikasa, KitchenAid, Pfaltzgraff, Cuisinart, Elements, Melannco, Wallace Silversmiths, Kamenstein, Pedrini, Towle, V&A, and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Lifetime Brands Inc. serves mass merchants, specialty stores, national chains, department stores, warehouse clubs, supermarkets, off-price retailers, and Internet retailers, as well as direct consumers through its Pfaltzgraff, Mikasa, Housewares Deals, and Lifetim e Sterling Internet Websites. The company was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Garden City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: EZCORP Inc.(EZPW)

EZCORP, Inc. provides specialty consumer financial services. The company offers pawn loans that are non-recourse loans collateralized by tangible personal property, including jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, and musical instruments, as well as sells merchandise consisting of second-hand collateral forfeited from its pawn lending activities or purchased from customers, and new or refurbished merchandise from third party vendors. It also provides a range of financial services, such as signature loans consisting of payday loans, installment loans, and lines of credit; and auto title loans, which include single payment auto title loans, and auto title lines of credit. In addition, the company offers fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans; and advice and assistance to customers in obtaining loans from unaffiliated lenders, as well as provides debit cards. As of September 30, 2011, it operated a total of 1,111 locations consisting of 433 pawn s tores under the EZPAWN or Value Pawn names, and 436 financial services stores under the EZMONEY name in the United States; 178 pawn stores under the Empe� F�il or Empe� Su Oro names in Mexico; 49 financial services stores under the CASHMAX name in Canada; and 15 financial and retail services stores under the Cash Converters name in Canada. Further, the company operates as a franchisor for 13 franchised Cash Converters stores in Canada. EZCORP, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, pawn shop operator EZCORP (NASDAQ: EZPW  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Oneida Financial Corp.(ONFC)

Oneida Financial Corp. operates as the bank holding company for The Oneida Savings Bank that provides community banking services primarily in Madison and Oneida Counties in New York, and surrounding counties. Its deposit products include savings accounts, interest-bearing demand accounts, non interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises one-to-four family residential and commercial real estate loans, consumer loans, and commercial business loans. It also offers trust and investment services, including fiduciary services for trusts and estates, money management, and custodial services. In addition, the company sells insurance; provides employee benefits consulting services; and offers risk management services to help mitigate and prevent work related injuries. It operates through 10 full service branch offices in Madison and Oneida Counties; and 1 full service branch office in Onondaga County in New York. The company was founded in 1866 and is based in Oneida, New York. Oneida Financial Corp. is a subsidiary of Oneida Financial MHC.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: GFI Group Inc. (GFIG)

GFI Group Inc. provides wholesale brokerage, clearing, electronic execution, and trading support products for financial markets. The company offers brokerage and trade execution services, clearing services, market data and trading platform, and other software products to institutional customers. The company provides brokerage services in fixed income derivatives, bond instruments, and other related products; financial instruments, including foreign exchange options, exotic options, non-U.S. Dollar interest rate swaps and options, repurchase agreements, forward and non-deliverable forward contracts, and government and municipal bond options; cash-based and derivative equity products, such as the U.S. domestic and international equity stocks, global depositary receipts, American depositary receipts, and equity derivatives; and cash-based and derivative commodity, and energy products comprising oil, natural gas, biofuel, electricity, wet and dry freight derivatives, dry physi cal freight, precious metals, coal, property derivatives, emissions, ethanol, and soft commodities. It also offers clearing, brokerage, settlement, and back-office services to proprietary traders, brokers, market makers, and hedge funds; provides capital to start-up trading groups, small hedge funds, market-makers, and individual traders; licenses multi-asset class electronic trading and order management software to brokers, exchanges, and traders in the commodities, fixed income, currencies, and equities markets; and offers FENICS Professional, a suite of price discovery, price distribution, trading, risk management, and straight-through processing components. The company primarily serves investment and commercial banks, large corporations, asset managers, insurance companies, hedge funds, and proprietary trading firms in the Americas; Europe, the Middle East, and Africa; and Asia. GFI Group Inc. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Compass Minerals International, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets inorganic mineral products primarily in North America and the United Kingdom. The company operates in two segments, Salt and Specialty Fertilizer. The Salt segment produces salt and magnesium chloride for use in road deicing and dust control, food processing, water softeners, pool salt, and agricultural and industrial applications. This segment also purchases potassium chloride and sells as a finished product. The Specialty Fertilizer segment produces and markets sulphate of potash crop nutrients and industrial grade sulfate of potash for use in the production of specialty fertilizers for vegetables, fruits, potatoes, nuts, tobacco, and turf grass. The company also produces and markets consumer deicing and water conditioning products, ingredients used in consumer and commercial food preparation, and other mineral-based products for consumer, agricultural, and industrial applications. In ad dition, Compass Minerals provides records management services to businesses located in the U.K. The company operates rock salt mines in Goderich, Ontario, Canada; and Winsford, Chesire, the United Kingdom. It primarily serves producers of intermediate chemical products used in the production of vinyls and other chemicals, and pulp and paper, as well as water treatment and other industrial uses. The company markets its products through direct sales personnel, contract personnel, and a network of brokers or manufacturers? representatives. Compass Minerals International, Inc., formerly known as Salt Holdings Corporation, was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  PotashCorp's difficulty sustaining its pricing power is underscored by recent reports from sulfate of potash (SOP) producer Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP  ) , which charged a hefty premium of almost $300 per ton against Potash Corp's prices for muriate of potash. Efforts to move away from SOP sales seem to be the right choice -- PotashCorp peer Intrepid Potash's�SOP sales fell by 37%, while the average price received has slumped nearly 14% in the last quarter. Even ore miner BHP Billiton�has recently jumped into the fertilizer industry with a $2.6 billion build-out of a potash mine in Canada, which is all but certain to produce further downward pressure on potash prices.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Compass Minerals (CMP) is a producer of minerals, including salt, sulfate of potash specialty fertilizer and magnesium chloride. This stock closed up 3.4% at $75.60 in Wednesday's trading session.

  Wednesday's Volume: 913,000
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 212,481
  
  Volume % Change: 315%

  From a technical perspective, CMP gapped higher here off its recent low of $64.24 with heavy upside volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply from around $90 to $64.24 with heavy downside volume. That move pushed shares of CMP into extremely oversold territory, since the stock's current relative strength index reading is 25.78. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can experience a powerful bounce higher from. Shares of CMP are now starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CMP manages to take out its gap down day high of $78.20 and then once it clears its 200-day moving average at $79.14 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CMP as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $73.07 or $72.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 212,481 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CMP will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started near $90.

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Genesco Inc. (GCO)

Genesco Inc. engages in the retail and wholesale of footwear, apparel, and accessories. The company operates in five segments: Journeys Group, Schuh Group, Lids Sports Group, Johnston & Murphy Group, and Licensed Brands. The Journeys Group segment operates the Journeys, Journeys Kidz, Shi by Journeys, and Underground by Journeys retail stores that provide footwear and accessories for men, women, and younger children. It also sells footwear and accessories through direct-to-consumer catalog and e-commerce operations. The Schuh Group segment operates Schuh retail footwear stores, which offer casual and athletic footwear for 15 to 30 year old men and women, as well as engages in the e-commerce operations. The Lids Sports Group segment operates headwear and accessory stores under the Lids, Hat World, and Hat Shack banners; sports-oriented fan shops that offer licensed merchandise, such as apparel, hats and accessories, sports decor, and novelty products under the Lids Locker R oom, Sports Fan-Attic, and Sports Avenue banners; and as a Lids Team Sports athletic team dealer, as well as in e-commerce operations. The Johnston & Murphy Group segment is involved in Johnston and Murphy retail, catalog and e-commerce, and wholesale distribution operations. Its stores provide footwear, luggage, and accessories for business and professional customers. The Licensed Brands segment markets casual and dress footwear under the Dockers brand for men aged 30 to 55. As of May 31, 2013, the company operated 2,455 retail stores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The company also sells its products through journeys.com, journeyskidz.com, shibyjourneys.com, undergroundbyjourneys.com, schuh.co.uk, and johnstonmurphy.com. Genesco Inc. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuters]

  Steven Senne/AP BOSTON -- Companies that help Target process payments could face millions of dollars in fines and costs resulting from the unprecedented data breach that struck the retailer during the holiday shopping season. Investigators are still sorting through just how thieves compromised about 40 million payment cards and the information of about 70 million Target (TGT) customers. But people who have reviewed past data breaches believe Target's partners could face consumer lawsuits and fines that payment networks such as Visa (V) and MasterCard (MA) often levy after cybersecurity incidents. Target's partners "have deep pockets and are intimately involved in certain aspects of how Target gets paid," said Jamie Pole, a cybersecurity consultant in Asheboro, N.C., who works for government agencies and the financial industry. Fines and settlement costs could reach into the millions of dollars for individual companies, he said, though much will depend on how the ultimate liability for the breach is determined. Boston attorney Cynthia Larose of Mintz Levin said Target would likely seek to add its partners as defendants to lawsuits already filed over the breach. "These class-action lawsuits start to bring everyone in at some point," she said. After its systems were penetrated by hackers in the mid-2000s, retailer TJX Cos. (TJX) agreed to pay up to $40.9 million to cover fraud costs in a settlement with Visa. Visa also issued penalties of $880,000 against Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) of Ohio, which processed transactions for TJX. Asked about the business relationships and possible costs, Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation and pending suits. A Visa spokeswoman declined to comment. A MasterCard spokesman said the company couldn't discuss an ongoing investigation. Handling Target Transactions Several companies are involved in any purchase from a store such as Target. A bank issues the consumer's payment card

Top 5 Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: WSI Industries Inc.(WSCI)

WSI Industries, Inc. engages in precision contract metal machining business in the United States. The company offers metal components in medium to high volumes requiring tolerances in accordance with customer specifications. It primarily serves aerospace/avionics/defense, recreational vehicles, energy, and bioscience industries. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Monticello, Minnesota.