Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now

It's pretty rare when every single component of the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) drops in unison, but when it happens, it usually results from a broad-reaching macroeconomic event. The catalyst for today's 217-point drop in the average was worry about the impact of a tapering of Federal Reserve bond-buying that looks increasingly likely to take place in the near future. A lot will hinge on Friday's reading on the employment front, but in many ways, investors are in a no-win situation. If Friday's jobs number is strong, it will support calls for reducing quantitative easing activity, but a weak number will simply call into question the effectiveness of the entire strategy the Fed has followed for years.

The best the Dow could come up with today was a 0.2% decline for Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) . Oddly enough, the tech giant has become one of the prime examples of the reversal of thinking among investors of what constitutes growth and value stocks. Cisco has gone from paying no dividend as recently as the beginning of 2011 to offering a nearly 3% yield, and its modest valuation makes shares look like a bargain. Although investors remain nervous about the company's ability to defend its networking turf while expanding into other lucrative areas of information technology, Cisco nevertheless is exhibiting characteristics you'd expect from more traditional defensive stocks.

Hot Paper Companies To Invest In Right Now: Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ)

Global X China Consumer ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive China Consumer Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a free float adjusted, liquidity tested and market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure performance of the investable universe of companies in the Consumer sector of the Chinese economy, as defined by Structured Solutions AG. Global X Management Company, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.

Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alliance Creative Group Inc (ACGX)

Alliance Creative Group Inc. (ACG), incorporated on June 1, 2000, is a printing, packaging, product development, management, marketing and consulting company. The Company comprises of five key components: Creative & Design, Printing & Packaging, Product Development, Event Marketing and Business Consulting & Strategic Marketing. It maintains and operates six Websites, including: alliancecreativegroup.com, stlouispackaging.com, stlgraphics.com, snapgraphics.com, IMAGEchicago.com and TicketHotLink.com.

Creative & Design

The Company offers graphic design services. It specializes in print and Web design solutions. The Company�� Creative & Design services include advertising campaigns, brand identity, brochures, business cards, catalogs, direct mail, flyers, logos, manuals/media kit, marketing materials, package design, POP display, postcards, PowerPoint template design, sales kit, stationary and Websites.

Printing & Packaging

Printing & Packaging

The Company�� printing division, STL Graphics Group offers printing services from design to delivery. Snap Graphics is a commercial printing company specializing in off-set, large format, silk screen, and digital printing. It printing services include design support, digital printing, direct mail, inventory management, mailing services, media, packaging, sheet-fed, and Web. The Company�� Bindery services include collating, drilling, folding, GBC binding, padding, saddle stitching and tabbing. Its Logistics services include local, regional, and national warehousing, inventory control and analysis, multi carrier freight, auto replenishment, automated and manual pick and pack, around-the-clock distribution, order tracking, assembly and kit building, order consolidation and direct field requisition.

The Packaging division at ACG (St. Louis Packaging) provides a variety of solutions. It offers options catered to individual needs, as well as over 10,000 stock supplies for everyday use. It offe! rs a range of standard supplies used in everyday packing and shipping, from corrugated boxes to fasteners and adhesive. The Company offers over 10,000 products from brands, such as 3M, Sealed Air, Intertape, Rubbermaid and Ivex. St. Louis Packaging offers a variety of products, including recycled cartons, recycled stuffing and wrapping papers and recycled polyethylene.

Product Development

Alliance Creative Group has created a product development division focused on getting products to retail and building brand equity for clients. ACG offers services in every phase of the product life cycle, including creation, marketing, placement, distribution and management. It offers services, such as product creation, product marketing, product placement, product distribution and brand management.

Event Marketing

The Company�� event marketing division has experience in strategy, creative, production, promotion, execution, and evaluation of events ranging from 20-4000 attendees. Its services include Creative design, Entertainment, Email blasts, Event planning and marketing, Event strategy, Food and drinks, Mobile marketing, Partnerships, Site selection and venue contacting Survey and evaluation, Theme development and Ticket Brokering.

Business Consulting & Strategic Marketing

Alliance Creative Group (ACG) is the Company�� consulting division. The division offers business advisory, consulting and marketing services. ACG develops business and marketing plans, draft press releases, create and maintain social media campaigns, provide funding, make introductions to investment bankers or other funding and take companies public. ACG helps with Business Development, Strategic Planning, Marketing and Product Development.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Alliance Creative Group Inc (OTCMKTS: ACGX), Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure Inc (OTCMKTS: DJRT), Inscor Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA) and Solar Thin Films Inc (OTCMKTS: SLTZ) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and it should come as no surprise that two out of four of these stocks have been the subject of paid promotions ��which tend to benefit traders. However, two out of four of these stocks also have pretty good financials for being small cap OTC stocks and that might make them attractive to investors with a long term time horizon. So which of these stocks might make traders some profits in the short term and investors some profits over the longer term? Here is a closer look to help you decide:

Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Consolidated Graphics Inc. (CGX)

Consolidated Graphics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides general commercial printing and print-related services in the United States and internationally. The company�s services include traditional print services, such as electronic prepress, digital and offset printing, finishing, and storage and delivery of custom manufactured printed documents; and fulfillment and mailing services for such printed materials. It also offers technology solutions that enable its customers to procure and manage printed materials and/or design, procure, distribute, track, and analyze results of printing-based marketing programs and activities; and multi-media capabilities, which allow customers to supplement the message of their printed materials through other media, such as the Internet, email, or text messaging. The company prints multi-color marketing materials, product and capability brochures, point-of-purchase displays, packaging, direct mail pieces, shareholder communicat ions, trading cards, calendars, and photo books, as well as customized materials for the financial services, insurance, healthcare, and other industries. In addition, it offers e-commerce software solutions and other print-related services. The company�s customers include national and local corporations operating in a range of industries, as well as advertising agencies, graphic design firms, catalog retailers, direct mail marketers, state and local governments and quasi-governmental agencies, educational institutions, not-for-profit associations, and political campaign organizations. Consolidated Graphics, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Breaking news

  Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT) reported a gain in its third-quarter core earnings and lifted its full-year earnings forecast. To read the full news, click here. Procera Networks (NASDAQ: PKT) and Skyfire, a fully-owned subsidiary of Opera Software, today announced a joint solution and partnership to tackle the rapid growth of video traffic on global mobile networks, based on an open, scalable ICAP architecture. To read the full news, click here. R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company (NASDAQ: RRD) and Consolidated Graphics (NYSE: CGX) jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement by which RR Donnelley will acquire Consolidated Graphics, a provider of digital and commercial printing, fulfillment services, print management and proprietary Internet-based technology solutions. To read the full news, click here. Dunkin' Brands Group (NASDAQ: DNKN) reported a 36% rise in its third-quarter income. To read the full news, click here.

  Posted-In: Jobless Claims JP Morgan US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW)

Burger King Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2012, is a fast food hamburger restaurant, under the Burger King brand. The Company generates revenues from three sources: franchise revenues, consisting primarily of royalties based on a percentage of sales reported by franchise restaurants and fees paid by franchisees; property income from properties that it leases or subleases to franchisees, and retail sales at Company restaurants. In September 2012, it sold 41 Company-owned BURGER KING restaurants in Singapore to Rancak Selera Sdn Bhd. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or franchised a total of 12,997 restaurants in 86 countries and United States territories. In April 2013, it announced the sale of Burger King Restaurants of Canada (BKRC), including 94 Company owned BURGER KING restaurants in the Canada market to Redberry Investments Corp.

The Company operates in the FFHR category of the quick service restaurant (QSR), segment of the restaurant industry. In the United States, the QSR segment is the segment of the restaurant industry and has demonstrated steady growth over a long period of time. The Company launched four new menu platforms (salads, wraps, smoothies and desserts) and expanded its chicken, coffee and ancillary menu platforms. It has established a data driven marketing process, which is focused on driving restaurant sales and traffic, while targeting a broader consumer base with more inclusive messaging to reach women, parties with children and seniors.

United States and Canada (U.S. and Canada)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 7,293 franchise restaurants and 183 Company restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company refranchised 752 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, bringing the region to 98% franchised. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it also continued to implement its Four Pillars strategy to improve comparable sales growth and franchise profitability by enhancing its Menu, Marke! ting Communications, Image, and Operations.

Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 2,989 franchise restaurants and 132 Company restaurants in EMEA. While in Germany continues with 684 restaurants as of December 31, 2012, Turkey and Russia are two of its growing markets with net openings of 78 restaurants and 47 restaurants, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 2012.

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,290 franchise and 100 Company restaurants in LAC. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Vinci Partners for Brazil and granted franchise and development rights to the joint venture. The Company received a minority stake and board seats in the joint venture without deploying its own capital.

Asia Pacific (APAC)

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 1,007 franchise and 3 Company restaurants in APAC. As of December 31, 2012,the Company had 357 restaurants in Australia. It contributed 44 Company restaurants in China. In September 2012, the Company sold 38restaurants to Rancak Selera, the Burger King franchisee in Malaysia.

The Company competes with McDonald�� Corporation, Wendy�� Company, Carl�� Jr., Jack in the Box and Sonic.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Core Equity Research]

  The above chart shows some key valuation metrics of McDonald's as compared to some of its competitors which include Burger King Worldwide (BKW), Yum Brands (YUM) and Starbucks Corp. (SBUX). The table also shows the industry average. We see that across most of the valuation multiples, the company is undervalued and the stock price still has considerable upside potential. At the same time, the company is offering a dividend yield which remains unmatched across the company's major competitors and the overall industry.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  In order to bolster growth, Coke has made a number of innovative moves. Its Freestyle fountain machine has started to gain in popularity, as restaurant chains including Burger King (NYSE: BKW  ) have signed on to put machines in their stores. Burger King will implement the mix-and-match soda machines in its company-owned locations, likely hoping to benefit from their novelty factor, as many of Burger King's restaurants give customers direct access to fountain drinks. Coca-Cola could also use the machines as an environmentally friendly rebuttal to SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA  ) and its attacks on the drink giant, as Freestyle doesn't require bottling and therefore has the same advantages as SodaStream's home carbonators. SodaStream's campaigns have been fairly effective in highlighting the value of its own product, although it's a stretch to blame Coca-Cola's struggles on the carbonator-maker. Meanwhile, in its efforts to help make its product more available even in areas without electricity, Coca-Cola started an initiative to provide small solar-power kits to kiosk owners in Kenya.

• [By Sophia Yan]

  Oher food chains have been caught up in the scandal, including Yum Brands (YUM), which operates KFC and Pizza Hut in China, Burger King (BKW), Papa John's (PZZA) and Starbucks (SBUX).

• [By Aaron Smith]

  A Burger King (BKW) spokeswoman told CNNMoney on Thursday that 5,000 of its restaurants will participate in its new program, called Burgers at Breakfast.

Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Planar Systems Inc.(PLNR)

Planar Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in developing, manufacturing, and marketing electronic display products and systems. The company provides customized, embedded, and ruggedized displays to original equipment manufacturers and other system suppliers; and active-matrix liquid crystal display panels for use in various applications and industries, including instrumentation, medical equipment, vehicle dashboards, indoor and outdoor digital signage, and military applications. It also offers liquid crystal display (LCD) video walls and rear-projection cube video walls for use in venue digital signage, as well as in various control room installations under the Clarity brand name. In addition, the company provides LCD based displays, including desktop monitors, touch displays, widescreen monitors, and front-projection equipment to the information technology market. Further, it offers home theater front-projection video systems, video processing equipment , large-format thin video displays, ?window wall? video applications, and accessories primarily to custom home installation dealers under the Runco brand name. Planar Systems, Inc. operates in the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Germany, Italy, France, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, India, Taiwan, and China. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Konrad Kuhn]

  Founded in 1983, Planar Systems (PLNR) is a global leader in display and digital signage technology; retailers, educational institutions, government agencies, utilities, energy firms, and home theater enthusiasts all depend on Planar when image experience is the highest importance.

Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Stericycle Inc (SRCL)

Stericycle, Inc., incorporated on March 21, 1989, is in the business of managing regulated waste and providing an array of related and complementary services. The Company operates in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The regulated waste services the Company provides include medical waste disposal, its Steri-Safe medical waste and compliance program, its Clinical Services program, its Bio Systems reusable sharps disposal management services, pharmaceutical waste disposal, and hazardous waste disposal. In addition to the Company's regulated waste services, the Company offers regulated recall and returns management services, patient communication services, and medical safety products. The Company's regulated recall and returns management services consist of a number of solutions for a variety of businesses but consist primarily of managing the recall, withdrawal or return of expired or recalled products and pharmaceuticals. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it completed 41 acquisitions, of which 17 were domestic businesses and 24 were international businesses in Latin America, Europe, and Japan. In August 2013, Stericycle Inc acquired Eclipse Marketing.

The Company also provides communication services to healthcare providers to improve office productivity and communications with patients. As of December 31, 2012, the Company's worldwide networks included a total of 153 processing facilities, 141 transfer sites, and 64 recall and returns or communication services facilities. The Company serves approximately 541,000 customers worldwide, of which approximately 16,500 are large-quantity generators, such as hospitals, blood banks and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and approximately 524,500 are small-quantity generators, such as outpatient clinics, medical and dental offices, long-term and sub-acute care facilities, veterinary offices, municipalities and retail pharmacies. For large-quantity generat! ors of regulated waste such as hospitals and for pharmaceutical companies and distributors, the Company offers its regulated waste management services; its Bio Systems reusable sharps disposal management services; its pharmaceutical waste services; its Integrated Waste Stream Solutions (IWSS) program; a variety of products and services for infection control; its regulated recall and returns management services for expired or recalled products and pharmaceuticals, and variety of patient communication services. For small-quantity generators of regulated waste such as doctors' offices or retail pharmacies, the Company offers its Steri-Safe OSHA, HIPAA compliance, and clinical services programs.

The Company supplies specially designed reusable leak-resistant and puncture-resistant plastic containers to most of its large-quantity customers and many of its larger small-quantity customers. The Company collects containers or corrugated boxes of regulated waste from its customers depending upon customer requirements, contract terms and volume of waste generated. The waste is then transported directly to one of the Company's processing facilities or to one of its transfer stations where it is combined with other regulated waste and transported to a processing facility. The Company collects some expired or recalled products, but more typically, customer ships them directly to its processing facilities. Upon arrival at a processing facility, containers or boxes of regulated waste are typically scanned to verify that they do not contain any unacceptable substances like radioactive material. The regulated waste is then processed using one of the Company's various treatment or processing technologies. Upon completion of the particular process, the resulting waste or incinerator ash is transported for resource recovery, recycling or disposal in a landfill owned by an unaffiliated third party. The Company provides complete documentation to its customers for all regulated waste that the Company collect in ac! cordance ! with applicable regulations and customer requirements.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jason Moser]

  I owe my love of investing to my father. And with that in mind, I give you the Father's Day Portfolio. These are 10 stocks that remind me of my dad, and together they will form a formidable, market-beating team that will offer investors outstanding returns for years to come.

  Dick's Sporting Goods� (NYSE: DKS  ) is a family affair. CEO Edward Stack is the son of founder Richard Stack, and he owns close to 18%�of the shares outstanding. I like what this company has done and where it's headed. It controls 8.5% of the tremendous sporting-goods market. Boston Beer� (NYSE: SAM  ) �seems an appropriate call here. Having a beer with your dad is one of the great moments in life, and given that this company sold more than 50 beer varieties under the Samuel Adams brand in 2012, chances are pretty darn good that there may be a Sam Adams in Dad's fridge. My dad drives a�Ford� (NYSE: F  ) Expedition, and he's owned a few other Fords in his life. Every time I see the blue oval I think of him, and I think this company will play a big part in the fast-changing automobile market.� I smile so wide it looks like I have a coat hanger in my mouth when I see my dad using his iPhone and iPad, courtesy of�Apple. The guy turned 71 this Father's Day (happy birthday, Dad!) and he's embraced technology like a 15-year-old. We all know that if you have a question these days you can just ask�Google. These guys do a lot of things well, but search and maps are their specialty. It's not just iDevices for my dad, either. He loves his new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon.com, not to mention the fact that he can order just about anything from the e-commerce giant. My dad's a doctor, and�St. Jude Medical� (NYSE: STJ  ) is a device company that has a wonderfully diverse product mix. From heart devices to strokes, Parkinson's, and migraines, �this company is playing a big role in up-and-coming medical technology. Shout-out No. 1 to our Ge