5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy For 2015

After President Obama delivered his latest blueprint on climate change yesterday, utilities responded with their own two cents. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), an association of shareholder-owned electric companies, issued a statement reflecting on the president's plans.

EEI President Tom Kuhn noted that, while electric utilities both understand�and support the importance of addressing climate change, electric companies want to ensure that carbon-cutting policies focused on existing power plants "contain achievable compliance limits and deadlines, minimize costs to customers, and are consistent with the industry's ongoing investments to transition to a cleaner generating fleet and enhanced electric grid."

To do this properly, Kuhn emphasized: "It is also critical that fuel diversity and support for clean energy technologies be maintained, not hindered." Even as the EEI stressed support, it noted that utilities have already made significant advancements. Carbon dioxide emissions currently clock in 15% below 2005 levels, it said, with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are down 75% since 1990.

5 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Buy Right Now: NuVasive Inc.(NUVA)

NuVasive, Inc., a medical device company, engages in the design, development, and marketing of minimally disruptive surgical products and procedures for the spine. The company?s products focus on applications for spine fusion surgery. It offers products primarily for the thoracolumbar spine and cervical spine. The company?s principal products include a minimally disruptive surgical platform called Maximum Access Surgery (MAS), as well as cervical, biologics, and motion preservation products. Its MAS platform combines four categories of product offerings, including NVM5 and NVJJB, its proprietary software-driven nerve monitoring systems; MaXcess system that provides access to the spine with minimal soft tissue disruption; specialized implants that are used for interbody disc height restoration for fusion and stabilization of the spine, as well as biologic products comprising FormaGraft, a collagen-based synthetic bone substitute and Osteocel Plus, an allograft cellular ma trix. Its biologic products also comprise AttraX, a synthetic bone graft material; and Triad, an allograft cellular matrix containing viable mesenchymal stem cells. In addition, the company offers a range of bone allograft in patented saline packaging; disposables and spine implants under the CoRoent brand name; and fixation devices, such as rods, plates, and screws. Further, it provides intra-operative monitoring services for insight into the nervous system during spine and other surgeries. Additionally, the company is developing total disc replacement devices for lateral lumbar spine and cervical spine applications. NuVasive, Inc. sells its products through directly-employed sales shareowners, independent sales agents, and distributors to surgeons and hospitals in the United States and internationally. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  It may not be as big as NuVasive, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUVA), and it might not be as sexy as MiMedx Group Inc. (NASDAQ:MDXG). But, Bacterin International Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:BONE) offers something to investors that MDXG and NUVA don't - can't - right now... a distinct opportunity for a lot of upside in a short amount of time.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy For 2015: Bottomline Technologies Inc. (EPAY)

Bottomline Technologies (de), Inc. provides cloud-based payment, invoice, and banking solutions to corporations, insurance companies, financial institutions, and banks worldwide. Its solutions are used to streamline, automate, and manage processes and transactions involving global payments, invoice receipt and approval, collections, cash and document management, risk mitigation, reporting, and document archive. The company’s products include cash management and treasury platforms that enable banks to offer ACH and BACS payments, wires, international payments, check production, balance and information reporting, and cash management facilities; and legal spend management solutions, which integrate with claims management, and time and billing systems to automate legal invoice management processes. It also offers Paymode-X, a business-to-business electronic settlement network, such as online access to purchase orders, invoices, payments, and remittance details, as well a s comprehensive workflow and turnkey vendor enrollment and support; and WebSeries and C-Series, the payment and document automation solutions that generate payment instructions along with consolidated bank reporting of cash activity. In addition, the company provides forms management, mobile documentation, workflow automation, and payments solutions to healthcare organizations. Further, it offers SWIFT access service that enables corporations exchange financial information with their banks and counterparties. Additionally, the company provides consulting, project implementation, and training services; and consumable products for laser check printing that comprise magnetic ink character recognition toner and blank-paper check stock, as well as printers and printer-related equipment. Bottomline Technologies (de), Inc. sells its products directly through sales force, as well as through various channel partners and resellers. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  What:�Shares of Bottomline Technologies (NASDAQ: EPAY  ) jumped more than 10% Friday after the cloud-based financial transaction specialist reported solid fiscal first quarter 2013 results.�

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy For 2015: Washington Federal Inc (WAFD)

Washington Federal, Inc., incorporated on November 15, 1994, is a bank holding company, which conducts its operations through a federally-insured savings association subsidiary, Washington Federal (Bank). The Bank is a federal savings association. The business of the Bank consists of attracting deposits from the general public and investing these funds in loans of various types, including first lien mortgages on single-family dwellings, construction loans, land acquisition and development loans, loans on multi-family and other income producing properties, home equity loans and business loans. It also invests in United States government and agency obligations and other investments permitted by applicable laws and regulations. As of September 30, 2013, Washington Federal had 182 full service branches located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. Through its subsidiaries, the Company is also engaged in real estate investment and insurance brokerage activities. The principal sources of funds for the Company's activities are retained earnings, loan repayments (including prepayments), net deposit inflows, repayments and sales of investments and borrowings. Washington Federal's principal sources of revenue are interest on loans and interest and dividends on investments. Its principal expenses are interest paid on deposits, credit costs, general and administrative expenses, interest on borrowings and income taxes. On October 31, 2012, South Valley Bancorp, Inc. merged with and into the Company, followed by the merger of South Valley's wholly owned subsidiary, South Valley Bank & Trust, into the Bank.

Lending Activities

As of September 30, 2013, the Company's net portfolio of loans totaled $7.5 billion representing approximately 58% of its total assets. The Company concentrates its lending activities on the origination of 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loans, which are neither insured nor guaranteed by agencies of the United States government. Washin! gton Federal's lending activity is concentrated on the origination of loans secured by real estate, including long-term fixed-rate mortgage loans, adjustable-rate construction loans, adjustable-rate land development loans, fixed-rate multi-family loans and business loans.

The Company's lending activity is the origination of real estate mortgage loans to purchase or refinance single-family residences. The Company also originates a range of construction and land development loans, along with multi-family residential and commercial loans. As of September 30, 2013, single-family residential loans totaled $5.4 billion, or 67.2% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction- speculative loans totaled$131 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; construction - custom loans totaled $303 million, or 3.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land acquisition and development loans totaled $82 million, or 1.0% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; land - consumer lot loans totaled $125 million, or 1.6% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; multi-family loans totaled $836 million, or 10.5% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial real estate loans totaled $625 million, or 7.8% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; commercial and industrial loans totaled $326 million, or 4.1% of the Company's gross loan portfolio; home equity line of credit (HELOC) loans totaled $134 million, or 1.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio and consumer loans totaled $55 million, or 0.7% of the Company's gross loan portfolio.

The Company originates 30 year fixed-rate loans secured by single-family residences. The Company originates construction loans to finance construction of single-family and multi-family residences, as well as commercial properties. Loans made to individuals for construction of their home generally are 30 year fixed rate loans. Multi-family residential (five or more dwelling units) loans are secured by multi-family rental properties, such as apartment build! ings.

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The Company makes various types of business loans to customers in its market area for working capital, acquiring real estate, equipment or other business purposes, such as acquisitions. The terms of these loans range from less than one year to a maximum of 10 years. Consumer loans are home improvement loans made through third party originators that bear interest at rates of 10% and higher.

Investment Activities

As a federal association, the Bank is obligated to maintain adequate liquidity and does so by holding cash and cash equivalents and by investing in securities. These investments include, among other things, certain certificates of deposit, repurchase agreements, bankers��acceptances, loans to financial institutions whose deposits are federally-insured, federal funds, United States government and agency obligations and mortgage-backed securities.

Sources of Funds

Deposits are the source of the Company�� funds for use in lending and other general business purposes. In addition to deposits, Washington Federal derives funds from loan repayments, advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) and other borrowings and from investment repayments and sales. The Company�� deposits are obtained from residents of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas. The Company obtains advances from the FHLB upon the security of the FHLB capital stock it owns and certain of its loans, provided certain standards related to credit worthiness have been met. The Company also uses reverse repurchase agreements as a form of borrowing. Under reverse repurchase agreements, the Company sells an investment security to a dealer for a period of time and agrees to buy back that security at the end of the period and pay the dealer a stated interest rate for the use of the dealer's funds. The Company also offers two forms of repurchase agreements to its customers. One form has an interest rate, which floats like that of a money market d! eposit ac! count. The other form has a fixed rate and is offered in a minimum denomination of $100,000. Both forms are fully collateralized by securities. As of September 30, 2013, the Company had $46.1 million of such agreements outstanding.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of financial holding company Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD  ) climbed as high as 10% today after its quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.�

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Washington Federal (NASDAQ: WAFD  ) is keeping its dividend level even as it effects a corporate transformation by the end of next month. The company has declared a quarterly distribution of $0.09 per share, to be paid on July 19 to shareholders of record as of July 5. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in April. Prior to that, it handed out a penny less at $0.08 per share.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy For 2015: Materion Corp (BEM)

Materion Corporation, formerly Brush Engineered Materials Inc., is a holding Company. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, is an integrated producer of advanced engineered materials used in a variety of electrical, electronic, thermal and structural applications. It products are sold into numerous markets, including consumer electronics, industrial components and commercial aerospace, defense and science, energy, medical, automotive electronics, telecommunications infrastructure and appliance. In March 2012, the Company acquired Aerospace Metal Composites Limited (AMC). In October 2011, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Materion Advanced Materials Technologies and Services Inc., acquired EIS Optics Limited. On March 8, 2011, the Company changed its name to Materion Corporation.

Advanced Material Technologies

Advanced Material Technologies manufactures precious, non-precious and specialty metal products, including vapor deposition targets, frame lid assemblies, clad and precious metal preforms, high temperature braze materials, ultra-fine wire, advanced chemicals, optics, performance coatings and microelectronic packages. These products are used in wireless, semiconductor, photonic, hybrid and other microelectronic applications within the consumer electronics and telecommunications infrastructure markets. Other key markets for these products include medical, defense and science, energy and industrial components. Advanced Material Technologies also has metal cleaning operations and in-house refineries that allow for the reclaim of precious metals from internally generated or customers scrap. Advanced Material Technologies products are sold directly from its facilities throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. Sales are made to over 3,200 customers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, sales for this segment were 69% of total sales.

Performance Alloys

Performance Alloys manufactures and sells three product famili! es: strip products, bulk products and beryllium hydroxide. Strip products include thin gauge precision strip and thin diameter rod and wire. These copper and nickel alloys are used as connectors, contacts, switches, relays and shielding. Markets for strip products include consumer electronics, telecommunications infrastructure, automotive electronics, appliance and medical. Its bulk products include copper and nickel-based alloys manufactured in plate, rod, bar, tube and other customized forms. Applications for bulk products include oil and gas drilling components, bearings, bushings, welding rods, plastic mold tooling, and undersea telecommunications housing equipment.

The Company�� Bulk products are copper and nickel-based alloys manufactured in plate, rod, bar, tube and other customized forms that, depending upon the application, may provide superior strength, corrosion or wear resistance, thermal conductivity or lubricity. Applications for bulk products include oil and gas drilling components, bearings, bushings, welding rods, plastic mold tooling, and undersea telecommunications housing equipment. The Company�� Beryllium hydroxide is produced at its milling operations in Utah from its bertrandite mine and purchased beryl ore. The hydroxide is used primarily as a raw material input for strip and bulk products, and by the Beryllium and Composites segment. It sells beryllium hydroxide to NGK Insulators, Ltd. Its strip and bulk products are manufactured at facilities in Ohio and Pennsylvania and are distributed internationally, through a network of Company-owned service centers and outside distributors and agents. Sales are made to over 1,600 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 22% of total sales.

Beryllium and Composites

The Company�� Beryllium and Composites segment manufactures beryllium-based metals and metal matrix composites in rod, sheet, foil and a variety of customized forms at its Elmore, Ohio and Fremont, California facilities. Th! is segmen! t also manufactures beryllia ceramics at its Tucson, Arizona facility. Defense and science is the market for Beryllium and Composites, including industrial components and commercial aerospace, medical, energy and telecommunications infrastructure. Products are also sold for acoustics and optical scanning applications.

The beryllium facility produces primary beryllium. It is a feedstock material used to produce beryllium metal products, which was completed during 2011. Beryllium-containing products are sold worldwide. Electronic components utilizing beryllia are used in the telecommunications infrastructure, medical, industrial components and commercial aerospace, and defense and science markets. These products are distributed through direct sales and independent sales agents. Sales are made to over 300 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 4% of total sales.

Technical Materials

Technical Materials include clad inlay and overlay metals, precious and base metal electroplated systems, electron beam welded systems, contour profiled systems and solder-coated metal systems. These specialty strip metal products provide a range of thermal, electrical or mechanical properties from a surface area or particular section of the material. The applications for these products include connectors, contacts and semiconductors, including automotive electronics and consumer electronics markets. Its products are manufactured at its Lincoln, Rhode Island facility and sold directly and through its sales representatives. Sales are made to over 200 customers. During 2011, sales for this segment were 5% of total sales.

The Company competes with Sumitomo Metals, Heraeus Inc., Praxair, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., Solar Applied Materials Technology Corp., Tanaka Holding Co., Ltd., Johnson Matthey plc, International Beryllium Corp., Ningxia Orient Tantalum, LeBronze Industriel, American Beryllia Inc., CBL Ceramics Limited, Heraeus Inc. and AMI Doduco, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Detrixhe]

  Developing-country bonds lost 1.2 percent in November after gaining in the previous two months, according to the Bloomberg USD Emerging Market Composite Bond Index. (BEM) The MSCI Emerging Markets Index fell 1.6 percent, the first decline since August and taking this year�� drop to 3.5 percent.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  The Bloomberg USD Emerging Market Composite Bond Index (BEM), which includes sovereign and corporate debt, declined 4.39 percent in June, capping its second consecutive quarterly loss.