Best US Companies To Invest In Right Now

On one level, it's a silly question: Of course Ford (NYSE: F  ) is an American company. With headquarters in Michigan and over a century of building and selling cars here, the Ford brand and Ford's vehicles are an everyday part of American life.

But at the same time, Ford is making its most ambitious overseas expansion effort ever ��and soon, non-American markets will be more important to Ford than ever before. In this video, Fool.com contributor John Rosevear looks at Ford's ambitious global plans ��and at why anyone investing in Ford needs to be looking far beyond America's shores.

China is already the world's largest auto market ��and it's set to grow even bigger in coming years. A recent Motley Fool report, "2 Automakers to Buy for a Surging Chinese Market", names two global giants poised to reap big gains that could drive big rewards for investors. You can read this report right now for free ��just click here for instant access.

Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch Right Now: First Trust Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund (FGB)

First Trust Speciality Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, formerly First Trust/Gallatin Specialty Finance and Financial Opportunities Fund, is a non-diversified, closed-end fund that seeks a high level of current income. The Fund�� secondary objective is to seek total return. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objectives by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in a portfolio of securities of specialty finance and other financial companies that offer opportunities for income and capital appreciation. The Fund will invest at least 25% of its total assets in securities of companies within industries in the financial sector. First Trust Advisors L.P. (First Trust Advisors) is the Fund's investment adviser.

Specialty finance companies provide capital or financing to businesses and consumers within specified market segments. Specialty finance companies often engage in asset-based and other forms of non-traditional financing activities. The Fund intends to invest primarily in business development company�� (BDC) shares, which are trading in the secondary market on a United States securities exchange but may, in certain circumstances, invest in an initial public offering of BDC shares or invest in certain debt instruments issued by BDCs. The Fund is not limited with respect to the specific types of real estate investment trusts (REITs), in which it invests and intends to invest primarily in REIT shares, which are trading in the secondary market on a United States securities exchange but may, in certain circumstances, invest in an initial public offering of REIT shares or invest in certain debt instruments issued by REITs.

The Fund may invest in commercial mortgage-related securities issued by corporations. These are securities that represent an interest in, or are secured by, mortgage loans secured by commercial property, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, multi-family properties and cooperati! ve apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals, and senior living centers. Other mortgage-related securities, in which the Fund may invest include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs), mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals (other than residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits), stripped mortgage-backed securities (SMBSs) and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property. The Fund may invest in other types of asset-backed securities that are offered in the marketplace. Other asset-backed securities may be collateralized by the fees earned by service providers.

The principal industry groups of financial companies include banks, savings institutions, brokerage firms, investment management companies, insurance companies, holding companies of the foregoing, and companies that provide related services to such companies. Banks and savings institutions provide services to customers such as demand, savings and time deposit accounts and a variety of lending and related services. Brokerage firms provide services to customers in connection with the purchase and sale of securities.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shaji Mathew]

  JPMorgan also raised the price estimate of First Gulf Bank, (FGB) its top pick among banks in the Middle East and North Africa, to 18 dirhams from 13.50 dirhams. The overweight recommendation was maintained. The stock has risen 25 percent this year to 14.55 dirhams last week.

Best US Companies To Invest In Right Now: J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc.(JBHT)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a surface transportation, delivery, and logistics company in North America. It operates in four segments: Intermodal (JBI), Dedicated Contract Services (DCS), Full-Load Dry-Van (JBT), and Integrated Capacity Solutions (ICS). The JBI segment provides intermodal freight solutions, including origin and destination pickup and delivery services in the continental United States, Canada, and Mexico. This segment operates 45,666 pieces of company-controlled trailing equipment; and manages a fleet of 2,592 company-owned tractors. The DCS segment involves in the design, development, and execution of supply chain solutions, which support various transportation networks. This segment offers final mile delivery, replenishment, and specialized services supporting private fleet conversion, fleet creation, and transportation system augmentation. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 4,259 company-owned trucks, 357 customer-owned trucks, and 23 independent contractor trucks. The JBT segment provides full-load, dry-van freight services by utilizing tractors operating over roads and highways. It operated 1,697 company-owned tractors. The ICS segment provides non-asset, asset-light, and transportation logistics solutions. It offers flatbed, refrigerated, expedited, and less-than-truckload, as well as various dry-van and intermodal solutions. The company transports a range of freight, including general merchandise, specialty consumer items, appliances, forest and paper products, building materials, soaps and cosmetics, automotive parts, electronics, and chemicals. J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Lowell, Arkansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Wall Street expects JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) to post its Q3 earnings at $0.78 per share on revenue of $1.45 billion. JB Hunt Transport shares fell 0.31% to $73.77 in after-hours trading.

• [By John Reese]

  The third stock that passes the Buffett methodology is the JB Hunt Transport Services, ticker (JBHT), again only one EPS dip in the last decade, a $438 million long-term debt versus $330 million of annual earnings, and 17.5% projected ten-year annualized return.

• [By Steven Russolillo]

  WATCH FOR:�September NFIB Small Business Survey (7:30 a.m. Eastern Time): seen 95.9; previously 96.1. Citigroup (C), CSX, Del Frisco’s, Domino's Pizza (DPZ), Intel (INTC), J.B. Hunt Transport (JBHT), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Linear Tech (LLTC), Wells Fargo (WFC) and Wolverine World Wide (WWW) are among companies scheduled to report quarterly results.

• [By Chad Fraser]

  As we wrote in a December 18 Investing Daily article, one way to play intermodal’s growth is through trucking stocks: J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NasdaqGS: JBHT) was one of the first to enter the intermodal game and has developed considerable expertise. In 2012, intermodal freight supplied 61% of J.B. Hunt’s revenue.

Best US Companies To Invest In Right Now: NII Holdings Inc.(NIHD)

NII Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides wireless communication services under the Nextel brand name to businesses and individuals in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, and Chile. Its services include mobile telephone service; Nextel Direct Connect service, which allows subscribers to talk to each other on a push-to-talk basis for private one-to-one calls or on group calls. The company also provides value-added services, including text messaging services; mobile Internet services; e-mail services; location-based services, such as the use of global positioning system technologies; digital media services; and a set of applications available via its content management system and the Android open application market. In addition, it offers business solutions, such as security, work force management, logistics support, and other applications to improve productivity; and international roaming services. NII Holdings, Inc. sells its products and services through direct sales representatives, indirect sales agents, retail stores, kiosks, and Website. The company was formerly known as Nextel International, Inc. and changed its name to NII Holdings, Inc. in December 2001. NII Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is based in Reston, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Latin American mobile telecom NII Holdings (NASDAQ: NIHD  ) reported earnings Thursday, featuring revenues down 13%, to $1.41 billion for the first quarter of 2013, and a $208 million consolidated net loss�-- but that wasn't all NII had to report. It's also got itself a new Chief Executive Officer.

Best US Companies To Invest In Right Now: Primeserv Group Ltd (PMV)

Primeserv Group Limited (Primeserv) is an investment holding company. The Company focuses on delivering human resources (HR) products, services and solutions through its operating pillar, Primeserv HR Services. The Company�� products and services are provided through its HR Solutions, Colleges and Outsourcing divisions. These incorporate human resources (HR) solutions, consulting, skills training centers, corporate and vocational training programmes, as well as resourcing and flexible staffing services, including skills, labor, wage bureau and HR logistics outsourcing operations. The Company operates in two segments: Human Capital Outsourcing, Human Capital Development and Central Services. The Human Capital Outsourcing segment provides flexible staffing solutions. The Human Capital Development segment provides vocational skills training, a range of corporate and technical training services and HR Consulting solutions. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  As always, in volatile times, our process remains unchanged. We conduct bottom-up research on companies and industries in order to uncover undervalued businesses we would be happy to own for many years. Our Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst��stock selection process identifies potential acquisition targets and likely candidates for financial engineering. Should volatility return and ��r. Market��provide us with an opportunity, we remain prepared to increase our ownership of businesses that fit these characteristics, as well as invest in new opportunities as they become available.