5 Best High Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now

Judith Collins/Alamy WASHINGTON - Home improvement retailer Home Depot (HD) has been in contact with the U.S. Secret Service about an alleged major breach of customer and credit card data that came to light this week, a law enforcement source told Reuters on Thursday. Any investigation by the Secret Service appears to be at a very early stage, the source said. The Secret Service, which declined comment, usually is the lead agency in federal criminal investigations into complex breaches of credit card and other consumer data. Another law enforcement source said the FBI, which also sometimes participates in such investigations, doesn't appear to be involved. It is unclear whether the U.S. Department of Justice is playing any role. Customer data could have been stolen from nearly all of Home Depot's 2,200 stores in the United States, according to information released Wednesday by security blog Krebs on Security. Home Depot hasn't confirmed that a breach occurred and it remains unclear whether or how many customers were impacted. If confirmed, the Home Depot incident could be among the most widespread in the string of security breaches at U.S. retailers in the recent past. Spokeswoman Paula Drake said Wednesday that the retailer is working with IT security firms, including Symantec (SYMC) and FishNet Security, to investigate whether there has been a data breach. A Symantec spokeswoman confirmed that Symantec was assisting with the investigation but didn't elaborate. Home Depot sought to comfort its consumers, promising free identity-protection services, including credit monitoring, to any potentially impacted customers and reassuring that the retailer or the banks that issued the cards will be responsible for any fraudulent charges. Home Depot shares were up 1.6 percent at $90.39 Thursday morning on the New York Stock Exchange. Concerns about a potential Home Depot data theft follow a major breach at retailer Target (TGT), where hackers late last year stole at least 40 million payment card numbers and 70 million other pieces of customer data. -.

10 Best China Stocks To Own 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%

5 Best High Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: Perry Ellis International Inc.(PERY)

Perry Ellis International, Inc. engages in designing, sourcing, marketing, and licensing apparel products for men and women in the United States and internationally. The company?s men?s wear offerings include casual sportswear and bottoms, dress shirts and pants, jeans wear, golf apparel, sweaters, sports apparel, swimwear and swim accessories, active wear, outerwear and leather accessories. Its women?s wear offerings comprise dresses, sportswear, and swimwear and swim accessories. The company offers its products under the brand names of Perry Ellis, Axis, Tricots St. Raphael, Jantzen, John Henry, Cubavera, the Havanera Co., Centro, Solero, Natural Issue, Munsingwear, Grand Slam, Original Penguin, Mondo di Marco, Redsand, Pro Player, Manhattan, Axist, Savane, Farah, Gotcha, Girl Star, MCD, Laundry by Shelli Segal, C&C California, Ben Hogan, and Rafaella. It also licenses the Nike brand for swimwear and swimwear accessories; the JAG brand for men?s and women?s swimwear and cover-ups; the Callaway Golf brand and Top-Flite for golf apparel; the PGA TOUR brand, including Champions Tour for golf apparel; and Pierre Cardin for men?s sportswear. The company distributes its products primarily to wholesale customers, including department stores, national and regional chain stores, mass merchants, specialty stores, sporting goods stores, the corporate wear market, and e-commerce, as well as clubs and independent retailers. As of March 2, 2011, it operated 38 Perry Ellis and 3 Original Penguin retail outlet stores primarily in upscale retail outlet malls across the United States and Puerto Rico; 1 Perry Ellis and 1 Cubavera retail store in Miami, Florida; and 7 Original Penguin retail stores in upscale demographic markets in the United States. The company was formerly known as Supreme International Corporation and changed its name to Perry Ellis International, Inc. in June 1999. Perry Ellis International, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is headquarte red in Miami, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adem Tahiri]

  Perry Ellis International (NASDAQ: PERY  ) is an apparel company that designs, markets, and licenses its brand-name products. The stock has dropped by nearly half this year, and it has sparked the interest of many value investors. Last Thursday, fourth-quarter earnings results beat lowered expectations and gave the stock a small bump.�

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Perry Ellis International Inc.(PERY) cut its outlook for the fiscal year, citing weakness in its third quarter. The clothing company said revenue was hurt by reduced shipments, primarily due to the reduction of private-label business for the mid-tier channel, as well as reduced sales through its direct retail channel. Shares fell.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Perry Ellis International�(PERY) has dropped 20% to $12.60 in pre-open trading after the apparel company blamed bad weather for slashing its full year guidance in less than half.

• [By , Zacks Investment Research]

  Estimates have come down after disappointing fourth quarter preliminary results for Perry Ellis (PERY), sending this apparel maker to a Zacks Rank # 5 (Strong Sell) last month.

5 Best High Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: Knoll Inc (KNL)

Knoll, Inc., incorporated on December 15, 1995, is a designer and manufacturer of workplace furnishings, textiles and fine leathers. The Company operates in three segments: Office, Studio and Coverings. The Office segment includes systems, seating, storage, tables, desks and KnollExtra ergonomic accessories, as well as the international sales of the Company's North American Office products. The Studio segment includes the Company's KnollStudio division, the Company's European subsidiaries, which primarily sell KnollStudio products, and Richard Schultz Design. The KnollStudio portfolio includes a range of lounge seating, side, cafe and dining chairs, barstools, and conference, dining and occasional tables. Richard Schultz Design provides outdoor furniture. The Coverings segment includes KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck (including Filzfelt), and Edelman Leather. In February 2014, Knoll Inc completed the acquisition of Holly Hunt Enterprises, Inc.

Office Segment

The Company�� systems furniture consists principally of functionally integrated panels or table desks, work surfaces, pedestal and other storage units, power and data systems and lighting. The Company's systems furniture product lines include panel and desk-based planning models, which consists of Antenna Workspaces, Reff Profiles, AutoStrada, Dividends Horizon, Morrison, Equity and Currents. The Company�� principal seating product lines include generation by Knoll, ReGeneration by Knoll, LIFE, RPM and Chadwick. Essentials Work Chairs' Pro, Tech, and Sport models offer a range of four task and two side chairs suitable to any office style from the traditional to the progressive. The Company�� files and storage products, featuring the Template, Calibre and Series 2 product lines, are designed with features to maximize storage capabilities throughout the workplace.

The Company�� core files and storage products consist of lateral files, mobile pedestals and other storage units, bookcases and overhead storage ! cabinets.. The Company offers collections of adjustable tables, as well as meeting, conference, training, dining, and cafe tables for large scale projects and standalone desks and table desks. The Company's Interaction and Upstart product lines include adjustable, work, meeting, conference and training tables. These product lines range from independent tables to tables suitable for workstations that support individual preferences for computer and writing heights to plannable desks that can be linked together to build and reshape larger work areas. KnollExtra offers accessories that complement Knoll office furniture products, including technology support accessories, desktop organizational tools, lighting and storage.

Studio Segment

The KnollStudio portfolio includes a range of lounge seating; side, cafe and dining chairs, barstools, and conference, dining and occasional tables. The Company�� studio segment includes the Knoll Europe businesses. Knoll Europe provides products and services primarily to its European clients, whose aesthetics and styles can be different from its North America clients. A majority of Knoll Europe's business is Knoll Studio products, but Knoll Europe also offers a product profile that enables its customers to purchase a complete office environment. In addition, it offers certain products designed specifically for the European market. In Europe, the core product categories include KnollStudio, desk systems, including the Wa desking system, the KnollScope, and the PL1 system, seating, including a range of chairs, and storage units, which are designed to complement Knoll desk products. During 2012, it acquired Richard Schultz Design, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of outdoor furniture for the residential, hospitality, and contract office furniture markets.

Coverings Segment

The Company's Coverings segment consists of KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck Leather (including Filzfelt products), and Edelman Leather. KnollTextiles offers u! pholstery,! panel fabrics, wallcoverings and drapery that harmonize color, pattern and texture and offers products for corporate, hospitality, healthcare and residential interiors. KnollTextiles products are used in the manufacture of Knoll furniture and are sold to clients for use in other manufacturers' products. Spinneybeck Enterprises, Inc., (Spinneybeck), the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, offers leathers and related products, including leather rugs and wall panels. Spinneybeck supplies upholstery leather for use on Knoll furniture and for sale directly to clients, including other office furniture manufacturers, upholsterers, aviation, custom coach and boating manufacturers. Edelman Leather LLC, (Edelman) its wholly owned subsidiary, supplies fine leathers to residential, hospitality, aviation and contract office furniture markets. Edelman, offers a residential showroom network where designers and retail consumers can sample its products.

The Company competes with Herman Miller, Inc., Steelcase, Inc., Haworth, Inc., HNI Corporation and Teknion Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of HNI Corp. have gained 4.9% to $35.17 at 1:45 p.m., while Steelcase (SCS) has risen 0.8% to $16.93, Knoll (KNL) has advanced 2.5% to $18.74 and Herman Miller (MLHR) has ticked up 0.3% to $30.57.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap office furniture stock Steelcase Inc (NYSE: SCS) jumped 11.66% after beating earnings expectations, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with potential office or commercial furniture stock peers like�HNI Corp (NYSE: HNI), Knoll Inc (NYSE: KNL) and Virco Mfg. Corporation (NASDAQ: VIRC). After all, the performance of any company selling office or commercial furniture would tend to give some insights into the office or employment markets.

5 Best High Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: Solera Holdings Inc.(SLH)

Solera Holdings, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides software and services to the automobile insurance claims processing industry. The company offers estimating and workflow software to manage the overall claims process, estimate the cost to repair a damaged vehicle, and calculate the pre-collision fair market value of a vehicle; and salvage, salvage disposition, and recycling software that manages inventories in order to facilitate the location, sale, and exchange of vehicle parts for use in the repair of a damaged vehicle. It also provides business intelligence and consulting services that enable insurance companies to monitor and assess their performance through customized data, reports, and analyses; and leases hardware products for use with its software, training, and call center technical support services. In addition, the company offers various services that allow its customers to access operational and technical support in times of high demand following natural disasters; and used vehicle validation, fraud detection software and services, and disposition of salvage vehicles. Further, it provides products and services for accessing information on the United Kingdom registered vehicles to private car buyers, car dealers, finance houses, and the insurance industry; data analytics to insurance companies and brokers in the Netherlands; and an electronic exchange for the purchase and sale of vehicle replacement parts in Brazil and Mexico. The company primarily serves insurance companies, collision repair facilities, independent assessors, and automotive recyclers in North America, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Netherlands. Solera Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Westlake, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Westlake, Texas-based Solera Holdings (NYSE: SLH  ) describes its business strategy as "Leverage, Diversify, and Disrupt." That sounds like a noisy strategy, but so far, the maker of software for the automotive insurance industry is keeping quiet as a mouse about the details.

• [By Patricio Kehoe]

  The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3 - Hold, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��utperfom�� For investors looking for a Zacks Rank # 1 ��Strong Buy, Dealertrack Technologies Inc (TRAK), Open Text Corporation (OTEX), Pegasystems Inc. (PEGA) Solera Holdings (SLH) or Ultimate Software Group Inc. (ULTI) could be the options.