Top Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014

Amazon� (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) wants to control a little piece of your home.

Last week, the company introduced Echo, a sort of personal assistant meant to function as a life organizer. Amazon explained how the device will work on a web page introducing it:

Amazon Echo is designed around your voice. It's always on -- just ask for information, music, news, weather, and more. Echo begins working as soon as it hears you say the wake word, "Alexa." It's also an expertly tuned speaker that can fill any room with immersive sound. Basically, it's a cool speaker with a built-in voice assistant that works like a well-focused version of�Apple's� (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) Siri or�Microsoft's� (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) Cortana. Instead of being an anything for anytime assistant like the phone offerings, Echo is built around being useful in a home, It does everything from acting as an alarm clock to helping build a grocery list, and delivering weather forecasts.The device is not total home control, and it's not a robot, but if it delivers what it promises, it's a step in that direction.

Amazon's Echo is part speaker, part voice assistant. Source: Amazon.�

Best India Companies To Invest In 2015: Towers Watson & Co (TW)

Towers Watson & Co. operates as a global professional services company that provides human capital, and financial consulting services worldwide. The company operates in four segments: Benefits, Risk and Financial Services, Talent and Rewards, and Exchange Solutions. The Benefits segment offers benefits consulting and administration services, such as retirement solutions, which support organizations in designing, managing, administering, and communicating retirement plans; and health and group benefits that provides advice on the strategy, design, financing, delivery, ongoing plan management, and communication of health and group benefit programs. This segment also offers its technology and administration solutions to deliver benefit outsourcing solutions; and international consulting services, which provide expertise in dealing with international human capital management and related benefits, and compensation advice. The Risk and Financial Services segment offers risk cons ulting and financial modeling software solutions primarily to the insurance industry; reinsurance and insurance brokerage services; and investment consulting and solutions covering investment strategy risk assessment, asset allocation, and investment manager selection to institutional investors. The Talent and Rewards segment provides executive compensation advisory services; employee rewards, talent management, and communication and change management services; and data, analytics, survey, and technology solutions. The Exchange Solutions segment operates the private Medicare insurance exchange in the United States that enables employers to transition their retirees to individual, defined contribution health plans. The company was formerly known as Watson Wyatt Worldwide, Inc. and changed its name to Towers Watson & Co. in January 2010 as a result of merging with Towers, Perrin, Forster & Crosby, Inc. Towers Watson & Co. was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in New York, N ew York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Towers Watson(TW) & Co.’s board authorized a roughly 22% increase to the consulting firm’s dividend. The company said Friday it will now pay a quarterly cash dividend of 14 cents per share, up from 11.5 cents a share previously.

Top Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Quantum Energy Inc (QEGY)

Quantum Energy, Inc. (Quantum), incorporated on February 5, 2004, is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of oil and gas properties. As of February 28, 2010, the Company did not generate any revenues from its business operations.

The Company has acquired interests in oil and gas properties. The properties are located in the Barnett Shale area of West Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Last Friday, small cap energy or mining stocks Yukon Gold Corporation (OTCMKTS: YGDC) and Quantum Energy Inc (OTCMKTS: QEGY) surged 323.5% and 41.2%, respectively, while 1st NRG Corp (OTCMKTS: FNRC) sank 25%. However, it should also be mentioned that two of these small cap stocks have been the subject of paid promotions. With that in mind, will these small cap energy or mining stocks deliver some more Christmas cheer this week? Here is a closer look and a reality check:

Top Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PGNX)

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products to treat the unmet medical needs of patients with debilitating conditions and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. Its primary programs focus on gastroenterology, oncology, and virology. The company offers RELISTOR (methylnaltrexone bromide) subcutaneous injection, a therapy for opioid-induced constipation. It is also conducting a Phase I clinical trial of a human monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate directed against prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein found at high levels on the surface of prostate cancer cells, as well as in blood vessels supplying other solid tumors. In addition, the company is developing PRO 140, a viral-entry inhibitor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is in Phase II clinical testing; and multiplex PI3-Kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer. Progenics Pha rmaceuticals, Inc. has license agreement with Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. for the development and commercialization of RELISTOR worldwide other than Japan. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Tarrytown, New York.

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, biotechnology company Progenics Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: PGNX  ) has received a distressing two-star ranking.

• [By Anna Prior]

  A U.S. Food and Drug Administration office has approved Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.'s(SLXP) appeal to gain approval for expanded usage of a constipation drug it licensed from Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc.(PGNX), the companies said. Shares of Progenics climbed 12% to $4.75 premarket.

Top Consumer Service Stocks To Own For 2014: WesBanco Inc.(WSBC)

WesBanco, Inc. operates as a holding company for WesBanco Bank, Inc. that provides various financial products and services. It engages in generating deposits and originating loans. The company?s deposit products include interest bearing demand deposits, money market accounts, savings deposits, and certificate of deposits. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial real estate loans; commercial and industrial loans; residential real estate loans that consist of loans to purchase, construct, or refinance personal residences, including one-to-four family rental properties; home equity lines of credit; and consumer loans comprising of installment loans to finance purchases of automobiles, motorcycles, boats, and other recreational vehicles, and lines of credit. The company, through its other subsidiaries, also offers property, casualty, and life insurance, as well as benefit plan sales and administration for personal and commercial clients; and discount brokerage and asset manag ement services. In addition, it provides trust services and various investment products, including mutual funds, as well as engages in leasing commercial real estate properties. As of February 26, 2010, the company operated 114 branch locations and 138 automated teller machines in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  WesBanco Inc. (WSBC) operates as a holding company for WesBanco Bank Inc. that provides retail banking, corporate banking, personal and corporate trust services, and mortgage banking and insurance services. Aug. 22, the company increased its quarterly dividend 5.3% to $0.20 per share. The dividend is payable Oct. 1, 2013 to shareholders of record on Sept. 13, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 2.6%.