5 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Someone who reads my articles asked me this question:

I've been having trouble analyzing companies. Whenever I read annual reports, I feel as if I am drinking from a firehouse and there is just so much going on, it is hard for me to discern what I need to be focusing on, or what should be telling me that I am learning about a good company.

When I first started investing, I was very checklist oriented ��especially the Ben Graham Enterprising and Defensive Investor checklists ��because those two lists gave me a rundown of what a suitable company was. However, I feel as if just purchasing a company that passes all of Graham's Enterprising Investor points is too easy. When doing that activity, there really is no analysis of a living/changing company.

Whenever I read other investors' stock write-ups, I am always impressed/jealous of how they were able to pick apart what mattered the most and what it means in terms of the company's prospects and valuation range. I know reading another value investing book isn't going to help me. So I was wondering, after plowing through as many annual reports as possible, does one eventually get a grasp of how to analyze a company? I've been reading about value investing since September/October 2008 and I feel as if I've been running in place over the last year.

10 Best Trucking Stocks For 2015: Audience Inc (ADNC)

Audience, Inc., incorporated on May 24, 2011, is a provider of voice and audio solutions that improve voice quality and the user experience in mobile devices. The Company�� solutions include hardware-accelerated digital signal processors (DSPs), and audio codecs and associated algorithms for noise suppression in mobile devices. Its computational auditory scene analysis (CASA) maps the sound separation functions in human hearing, into a computational framework. The Company�� platform consists of its DSPs and audio codec, analog and mixed signal circuits and algorithms for voice isolation and noise suppression.

The Company also provides its AuViD graphical design tools to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The Company had sold over 250 million processors to its OEM customers as of December 31, 2012. In addition to the mobile device market, the Company�� voice and audio technology is also applicable to a range of other market segments, including automobile infotainment systems, digital cameras, digital televisions, headsets and set top boxes.

The Company�� product portfolio supports both analog and digital interfaces. As of December 31, 2012, the Company offered eS515, eS325, eS305, eS310, eS110, A1028 and A1026 custom voice and audio processors for device platforms, including smartphones, feature phones and media tablets. eS515 is a third generation voice and audio processor with an integrated audio codec, featuring support of three-microphones; eS325is a third generation voice and audio processor that features simultaneous three microphone processing; eS305 is a second generation voice and audio processor utilizing new hardware acceleration architecture and algorithms for far-field, wideband communications and capable of advanced speech recognition assist, and uses an all digital interface; eS310, provides similar capabilities to the eS305; eS110 is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and far-field as well as near-field u! se with features such as acoustic echo cancelation, voice equalization and automatic gain control; A1026, is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and typical near-field use, and A1028, which is a first generation narrowband voice processor designed for real-time communications and far-field, as well as near-field use.

The Company derives its revenue primarily from the sale of voice and audio processors to OEMs, which incorporate them into mobile devices. As of December 31, 2012, OEMs, CMs and distributors worldwide had purchased more than 250 million of its processors and incorporated them in over 140 mobile device models.

The Company competes with Maxim, ON Semiconductor, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments Incorporated, Wolfson Microelectronics plc, DSP Group, Inc. and Yamaha Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 Audience (Nasdaq: ADNC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Multimedia Games Holding Company Inc.(MGAM)

Multimedia Games Holding Company, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, distribution, and maintenance of gaming machines, video lottery terminals, and associated systems and equipment. The company provides a range of networked gaming systems that control and operate Class II gaming machines, video lottery terminals, and bingo terminals at Native American and commercial gaming facilities. It offers various classic 3-reel and 5-reel mechanical reel games, which provide players with a slot gaming experience; Side Action series of slot games; Maximum Lockdown, a hybrid mechanical reel game; Treasure Top series, a range of 3-reel mechanical games that includes LED lights and a video spinning wheel; TournEvent, a slot tournament system, which allow operators to switch from in-revenue gaming to out-of-revenue tournaments; and High Rise Games. The company also offers back-office accounting and slot management systems that are used to manage the floor operations; and server-based centrally-linked player terminals, which are placed and sold in Class II, video lottery terminal, and bingo settings, as well as standalone player terminals that are placed and sold in Class III settings. It provides its gaming systems to Native American and commercial casino operators in North America; domestic and selected international lottery operators; and charity and commercial bingo gaming facility operators. The company was formerly known as Multimedia Games, Inc and changed its name to Multimedia Games Holding Company, Inc. in April 2011. Multimedia Games Holding Company, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Multimedia Games Holding (Nasdaq: MGAM  ) reported earnings on April 30. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q2), Multimedia Games Holding beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Katy Industries Inc (KATY)

Katy Industries, Inc. (Katy) is a manufacturer, importer and distributor of commercial cleaning and storage products. The Company�� commercial cleaning products are sold primarily to janitorial/sanitary and foodservice distributors that supply end users, such as restaurants, hotels, healthcare facilities and schools. The Company�� storage products are primarily sold through home improvement and mass market retail outlets. Continental Commercial Products, LLC (CCP) is its wholly owned subsidiary and includes as divisions all of its business units. The Company�� business units are Continental, Contico, Container, Gemtex, Glit and Wilen. On October 4, 2011, the Company sold all assets and certain liabilities related to the DISCO division of CCP to DISCO Acquisition Corp. In February 2014, Katy Industries Inc completed the acquisition of Fort Wayne Plastics, Inc.

The Continental business unit is a plastics manufacturer and an importer and distributor of products for the commercial janitorial/sanitary maintenance, industrial and food service markets. Continental products include commercial waste receptacles, buckets, mop wringers, janitorial carts, and other products designed for commercial cleaning and food service. Continental products are sold under the brand names, such as Continental, Kleen Aire, Huskee, SuperKan, King Kan, Unibody, Tilt-N-Wheel, Wall Hugger, Collossus, Corner��Round, Rountop, Swingline, Kleen Tech and Structo Tuff.

The Contico business unit is a plastics manufacturer and distributor of home and tool storage products, sold primarily through home improvement and mass market retail outlets. Contico products include plastic home storage units, such as domestic storage containers, tool boxes, shelving and hard plastic gun cases and are sold under the brand names Contico and Tuffbin. Contico is a registered trademark used under license from Contico Manufacturing Limited.

The Container business unit is a plastics manufacturer and distributor ! of industrial storage drums and pails for commercial and industrial use. Products are sold under the Contico and Contico Container brand names.

The Gemtex business unit is a manufacturer and distributor of resin fiber disks and other coated abrasives for the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), automotive, industrial and home improvement markets. Gemtex products are sold under the brand names Trim-Kut and Grind R.

The Glit business unit is a manufacturer and distributor of non-woven abrasive products for commercial and industrial use and also supplies materials to various OEMs. Glit non-woven products include floor maintenance pads, hand pads, scouring pads, specialty abrasives for cleaning and finishing, growth medium and roof ventilation products. These products are sold primarily in the commercial sanitary maintenance, food service, industrial and construction markets under the brand names, such as Glit, Kleenfast, Glit/Microtron, Fiber Naturals, Blue Ice, Brillo, Cyclone, Cyclone D, Sponge Pro, Wipe Clean Pro, Joey, Jackeroo, Buckaroo, Cocopad, Safire and WalnutPad. Brillo is a registered trademark used under license from Armaly Brands, Inc. and BAB-O is a registered trademark used under license from Fitzpatrick Bros., Inc.

The Wilen business unit is a manufacturer, importer and distributor of professional cleaning products that include mops, brooms, brushes and plastic cleaning accessories. Wilen products are sold primarily through commercial sanitary maintenance, industrial and food service markets, with some products sold through consumer retail outlets. Products are sold under the brand names, such as Wilen, Wax-o-matic, Rototech, ErgoWorx and Derma-Tek.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Mydlo]

  The guru, Mario Gabelli, purchased 724,729 shares of Katy Industries (KATY). According to the 13D filed with the SEC on March 21, 2014, Gabelli is deemed to have beneficial ownership of the securities owned by Gabelli Funds, GAMCO, Teton Advisors and MJG Associates. The total amount of shares owned is 1,711,045, representing 21.52% of the shares outstanding. Katy engages in the manufacture, import and distribution of commercial cleaning and storage products for commercial janitorial/sanitary maintenance, industrial, foodservice, mass merchant retail and home improvement markets in the U.S., Canada and Europe.

5 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Johnson & Johnson(JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Devices and Diagnostics. The Consumer segment provides products used in baby care, skin care, oral care, wound care, and women?s health care fields, as well as nutritional, over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, and wellness and prevention platforms under the brands of JOHNSON?S, AVEENO, CLEAN & CLEAR, JOHNSON?S Adult, NEUTROGENA, RoC, LUBRIDERM, DABAO, LISTERINE, REACH, BAND-AID, CAREFREE, STAYFREE, SPLENDA, TYLENOL, SUDAFED, ZYRTEC, MOTRIN IB, and PEPCID AC. The Pharmaceutical segment offers products in various therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, antipsychotic, contraceptive, dermatology, gastrointestinal, hematology, immunology, neurology, oncology, pain management, and virology. Its principal products include REMICADE for the treatment of immune me diated inflammatory diseases; STELARA for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis; SIMPONI, a treatment for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis; VELCADE for the treatment of multiple myeloma; PREZISTA and INTELENCE for treating HIV/AIDS patients; NUCYNTA for moderate to severe acute pain; INVEGA SUSTENNAtm for the acute and maintenance treatment of schizophrenia in adults; RISPERDAL CONSTA for the management of bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia; and PROCRIT to stimulate red blood cell production. The Medical Devices and Diagnostics segment primarily offers circulatory disease management products; orthopaedic joint reconstruction, spinal care, and sports medicine products; surgical care, aesthetics, and women?s health products; blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery products; professional diagnostic products; and disposable contact lenses. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Ne w Brunswick, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  As earnings season continues, investors need to focus on how well different sectors of the economy perform. So far, the recent stampede toward consumer-oriented stocks Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG  ) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) indicate most investors' defensive posture, with those stocks seeing their valuations rise substantially. Yet even they may not provide complete protection from the end of the bull market if the economy can't strengthen in the years to come.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) today reported second-quarter results that had shareholders smiling. Top-line and bottom-line numbers reflected solid growth and beat analyst estimates. Shares were up around 1% in early trading.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  An oldie but a goodie
  Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) has increased its dividend for 51 consecutive years. Just last week, the company bumped its dividend 8.2% from $0.61 per share each quarter to $0.66 per share. Nothing is guaranteed, but it would take a major disruption in Johnson & Johnson's business before the health-care giant would cut its dividend. They don't make dividend stocks much more solid than that.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) and development partner Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ  ) , announced on Wednesday that a New Drug Application, or NDA, has been submitted for ibrutinib. The NDA filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requests marketing approval for the drug in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma and in the treatment of previously treated patients with mantle cell lymphoma.