Best Financial Companies For 2014

The price of oil fell back below $95 Friday after the U.S. government reported that May was another month of steady, but not spectacular hiring.

In morning trading in New York, benchmark oil for July delivery was down 30 cents to $94.46 a barrel. Oil rose as high as $95.34 a barrel earlier.

U.S. employers added 175,000 jobs in May, below the more robust pace that took place during the fall and winter.

The Labor Department says the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent from 7.5 percent in April. But the increase occurred because more people began looking for work, a good sign.

The government said the economy added 12,000 fewer jobs in April and March than originally estimated.

Oil prices were supported earlier by a carry-over from the bigger-than-expected drop in crude inventories reported by the U.S. Energy Department on Wednesday.

"The huge 6.2 million barrel drawdown of crude stocks ... is the largest draw down for crude inventories since the end of last year," said a report from Sucden Financial Research in London. The large drop in crude stockpiles "indicates the stronger demand outlook for the summer driving season as refining activity improves."

Best Financial Companies For 2014: National Bankshares Inc.(NKSH)

National Bankshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for the National Bank of Blacksburg (NBB), a chartered national bank that provides a range of retail and commercial banking services to individuals, businesses, non-profits, and local governments in Virginia. It offers demand, money market, savings, and certificates of deposit accounts; commercial, agricultural, real estate, home equity, and consumer loans; merchant credit card services, and business and consumer debit and credit cards; letters of credit, night depositories, safe deposit boxes, travelers? checks, utility payment services, and automatic funds transfers; and telephone and Internet banking services. The company operates 24 branch offices and 25 automated teller machines in southwest Virginia. NBB also conducts a general trust business that provides wealth management, and trust and estate services for individual and business customers. In addition, the company, through its subsidiary, National Bankshar es Financial Services, Inc., offers non-deposit investment products and insurance products. The company was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Investors Title Company(ITIC)

Investors Title Company, through its subsidiaries, provides title insurance to residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial properties. It underwrites land title insurance for owners and mortgagees as a primary insurer; and offers the reinsurance of title insurance risks to other title insurance companies. The company also provides tax-deferred real property exchange services, as well as serves as an exchange accommodation titleholder and holds property for exchangers in reverse exchange transactions; offers investment management and trust services to individuals, companies, banks, and trusts; and provides consulting services to title insurance agencies. Investors Title Company serves various customers in the residential and commercial market sectors of the real estate industry. It issues title insurance policies primarily through approved attorneys from underwriting offices, as well as through independent issuing agents in 24 states and the District of Columbia, the United States. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Investors Title Company (NASDAQ:ITIC), reported its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012. Net income increased 110.0% to $3,349,488, or $1.57 per diluted share, compared with $1,594,805, or $0.74 per diluted share, for the prior year quarter.

Hot Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014: United Security Bancshares(UBFO)

United Security Bancshares operates as the bank holding for United Security Bank that provides a range of commercial banking services primarily to the business and professional community, and individuals in California. Its deposit products comprise personal and business checking accounts and savings accounts, interest-bearing negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market accounts, and time certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio consists of real estate mortgage, commercial and industrial, and real estate construction loans, as well as agricultural, lease financing, and consumer loans with a focus on short and medium-term obligations. In addition, it offers a range of specialized services, which include online banking, safe deposit boxes, ATM services, payroll direct deposit, cashier's checks, traveler's checks, money orders, and foreign drafts; and various specialized financial services, including wealth management, employee benefit, insurance, and l oan products, as well as consulting services. As of December 31, 2009, United Security Bancshares operated 11 banking branches, 1 construction lending office, and 1 financial services office in Fresno, Madera, Kern, and Santa Clara counties. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Fresno, California.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Independent Bank Corp.(INDB)

Independent Bank Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Rockland Trust Company that provides various banking services in Massachusetts. It offers various deposit products, including demand deposits, interest checking accounts, savings accounts, time deposits, and money market accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial and industrial loans to business and corporate enterprises for working capital and other business-related purposes, and floor plan financing; commercial real estate loans that include commercial mortgages that are secured by non-residential properties, as well as mortgages for construction loans on non-residential properties; and small business loans to businesses with commercial credit needs. It also provides consumer real estate loans, which consist of residential mortgages, and home equity loans and lines that are secured primarily by owner-occupied residences; mortgages for the construction of residential properties; and consumer loans that comprise personal loans, automobile loans, installment loans, and overdraft protection. In addition, the company offers investment management and trust services to individuals, institutions, small businesses, and charitable institutions. Independent Bank Corp. operates 67 full service and 3 limited service retail branches, 8 commercial banking centers, 4 investment management offices, and 4 mortgage lending centers. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Rockland, Massachusetts.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Western Asset/Claymore U.S. Treasury Inflation Prot Secs Fd(WIA)

Western Asset/Claymore Inflation-Linked Securities & Income Fund is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Western Asset Management Company. It invests in fixed income markets. The fund invests primarily in U.S. treasury inflation protected securities. It also invests in corporate bonds or other securities and instruments. The fund?s portfolio of investments includes investments in electrical, energy, environmental services, media, medical care facilities, oil and gas, paper and forest products, photo equipment and supplies, banking and finance, and food, beverage and tobacco sectors. Western Asset/Claymore Inflation-Linked Securities & Income Fund was formed on September 25, 2003 and is domiciled in United States.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Sabine Royalty Trust(SBR)

Sabine Royalty Trust receives a distribution of royalty and mineral interests from Sabine Corporation. Its royalty and mineral interests, include landowner?s royalties, overriding royalty interests, minerals, production payments, and other non-participatory interests in various producing and proved undeveloped oil and gas properties in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The Sabine Royalty Trust (SBR) is diversified from a geographical perspective, with interests spreading across both producing and undeveloped gas properties in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.� It essentially operates as a holding company into which all the royalties get deposited and all the money gets distributed to shareholders via its 9.2% yield.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund Inc(UTF)

Cohen & Steers Infrastructure Fund, Inc. operates as a closed-end, nondiversified management investment company. It invests primarily in a portfolio of common stocks, preferred stocks, and other equity securities issued by utility companies; and in preferred securities and other fixed income securities of other companies. The fund?s investment portfolio primarily includes investments in various companies operating in utilities, agricultural chemicals, financials media real estate, specialty, food products, insurance, oil exploration and production, automotive, telecommunications sectors. Cohen & Steers Capital Management, Inc. serves as the investment manager of the fund. The fund, formerly known as Cohen & Steers Select Utility Fund, Inc., was founded in 2004 and is based in the New York City.

Best Financial Companies For 2014: Heartland Financial USA Inc. (HTLF)

Heartland Financial USA, Inc., through its bank subsidiaries, provides commercial and retail banking services to businesses and individuals. Its deposit products include checking and other demand deposit, negotiable order of withdrawal, savings, money market, individual retirement, and health savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit and other time deposits. The company�s loan products portfolio comprises commercial and industrial, agricultural, real estate mortgage, consumer, and home equity loans, as well as lines of credit. It also offers ancillary services, including trust and wealth management services, investment services, insurance services, and electronic banking services, as well as provides client access to account information through business and personal online banking, bill payment, remote deposit capture, treasury management services, VISA debit cards ,and automated teller machines. The company�s investment services include mutual funds, annuitie s, retirement products, education savings products, brokerage services, employer sponsored plans, and insurance products, including vehicle, property and casualty, and life and disability insurance. In addition, Heartland Financial, through its non-bank subsidiary, Citizens Finance Co., engages in consumer finance business. The company has a strategic alliance with LPL Financial Institution Services to operate independent securities offices at its bank subsidiaries. As of May 4, 2012, it had 61 banking locations in 42 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, and Minnesota; and mortgage loan production offices in California, Nevada, Texas, Wyoming, and Idaho. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa.