Best Rising Stocks To Watch For 2014

LONDON --�While crippling austerity in Europe and fiscal obstacles could put the brake on growth rates there, in developing regions a backdrop of accommodative central bank action, elevated commodity prices, and rising personal affluence levels have created an environment of exceptional commercial opportunity.

The divergence between the growth prospects of traditional and developing markets is borne out by latest International Monetary Fund's (IMF) growth projections, which expects developing nations and emerging markets to expand 5.3% and 5.7% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. By comparison, it anticipates that the U.S. economy will rise 1.9% this year and 3% in 2014, while eurozone GDP is forecast to dip 0.3% in 2013 before rebounding just 1.1% next year.

Bubbly activity in these developing geographies can create large opportunities for many London-listed firms. Today, I am looking at�Diageo� (LSE: DGE  ) (NYSE: DEO  ) �and assessing whether its operations in these regions are likely to underpin solid earnings growth.

Best Rising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Keller Group(KLR.L)

Keller Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides ground engineering services to the construction industry in Europe, North America, Australia, the Middle East, and Asia. It offers piling and earth retention systems, including diaphragm walls and marine piles that help in the installation of structural elements to transfer foundation loads through weak soils to stronger underlying ground; grouting services, which strengthen target areas in the ground and control ground water flow through rocks and soils by reducing their permeability; and ground improvement services to prepare the ground for new construction projects and to reduce the risk of liquefaction in areas of seismic activity. The company also offers anchors, soil nails, and minipiles; and post-tension cable systems that are used to reinforce concrete foundations and structural spans. Its services are used across the construction sector in infrastructure, industrial, commercial, residential, and environmen tal projects. The company was founded in 1860 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Best Rising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Ameron International Corporation(AMN)

AMN Healthcare Services, Inc. provides healthcare staffing and clinical workforce management solutions in the United States. The company?s Nurse and Allied Healthcare Staffing segment provides staffing solutions for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, including medical, surgical, specialty, licensed practical or vocational, and advanced practice nurses, as well as surgical technologists and dialysis technicians. This segment also offers allied health professionals under the Med Travelers, Club Staffing, and Rx Pro Health brand names to acute-care hospitals and other healthcare facilities, such as skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation clinics, and retail and mail-order pharmacies. These allied health professionals include physical, surgical, respiratory, and occupational therapists, as well as medical and radiology technologists, speech pathologists, rehabilitation assistants, pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. Its Locum Tenens Staffing segment places physic ians of various specialties, certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, and dentists on a temporary basis as independent contractors with various healthcare organizations, including hospitals, medical groups, occupational medical clinics, individual practitioners, networks, psychiatric facilities, government institutions, and managed care entities. The company?s Physician Permanent Placement Services segment provides permanent physician placement services to hospitals, healthcare facilities, and physician practice groups under the Merritt Hawkins and Kendall & Davis brand names. This segment also offers specialty offerings, including internal medicines, family practices, and surgeries. Its Home Healthcare Services segment provide home healthcare services to individuals with acute-care illness, long-term chronic health conditions, permanent disabilities, terminal illnesses, and post-procedural needs. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in S an Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bill]  

  Ameron International Corporation (AMN), a California-based firm that makes water transmission lines, fiberglass-composite pipe for transporting oil, and infrastructure-related products like ready-mix concrete and lighting poles -- just the kind of company that could benefit from the federal stimulus package's infrastructure funding.

  Having lived through both his own family's fall from financial grace (following his father's death when Benjamin was a young man), and, later, through the Great Depression, it's no surprise that Graham focused as much on preserving capital and limiting losses as he did on producing big gains. He liked stable, conservatively financed companies, not speculative gambles, and Ameron fits the bill. One example of why: its strong current ratio of 2.87. Graham used the current ratio (current assets/current liabilities) to get an idea of a company's liquidity (and the credit crisis has shown us all how important liquidity is).

Top Bank Stocks To Watch Right Now: VDM Group Ltd(VMG.AX)

VDM Group Limited operates as a design and construction company in Australia. The company?s Construction division services include civil and mechanical construction; mining, resources, and infrastructure construction; commercial and industrial construction; Hyparspace steel roof and wall structural system; and structural fabrication services. Its Contracting division services comprise civil contracting and bulk earthworks; mobile crushing and screening; dam construction and management; feed/ROM pad management; marine based civil contracting; drilling, blasting, and rock placement; port breakwater construction; and seawall construction services. The company?s Consulting division services consist of master and town planning; environmental, security, and building services consulting; project management and building design; and civil, structural, marine, traffic, and acoustic engineering services. It serves mining, oil and gas, infrastructure, civil, and transportation secto rs. VDM Group Limited is headquartered in Osborne Park, Australia.

Best Rising Stocks To Watch For 2014: Hankore Environment Tec Grpltd(B22.SI)

HanKore Environment Tech Group Limited, an investment holding company, engages in the provision of environmentally friendly water and wastewater treatment solutions to municipal, provincial governments, commercial, and industrial customers primarily in the People?s Republic of China. It is involved in the development, investment, financing, and construction of projects related to municipal utilities, water supply, waste water treatment, recycling of treated water, and sludge treatment. The company was formerly known as Bio-Treat Technology Limited and changed its name to HanKore Environment Tech Group Limited in May 2011. HanKore Environment Tech Group Limited is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.