Hot Performing Companies To Watch In Right Now

Dividend stocks outperform non-dividend-paying stocks over the long run. It happens in good markets and bad, and the benefit of dividends can be quite striking: Dividend payments have made up about 40% of the market's average annual return from 1936 to the present day. But few of us can invest in every single dividend-paying stock on the market, and even if we could, we might find better gains by being selective. That's why we'll be pitting two of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) dividend payers against each other today to find out which Dow stock is the true dividend champion. Let's take a closer look at our two contenders now.

Tale of the tape
Home Depot (NYSE: HD  ) joined the Dow in 1999 as the lone old-economy stock in a tech-heavy reshuffling, and in the aftermath of the dot-com crash it became the best-performing new addition of the four. Operating out of the suburbs of Atlanta, Home Depot is one of the Dow's youngest components, as it was founded in 1978. Since then, it has grown to become the largest home-improvement retailer in the world (and the fourth-largest retailer in the U.S., period) with more than 2,200 stores located throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico -- and a few in China as well. It's often seen as a bellwether for the American housing industry, as so many homebuilders, homebuyers, and specialized contractors shop at Home Depot.

Top 10 Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cornerstone OnDemand Inc.(CSOD)

Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. provides learning and talent management solution delivered as software-as-a-service. The company offers three integrated cloud-based solutions for learning management, performance management, and extended enterprise. Its Cornerstone Learning Cloud helps clients deliver and manage enterprise training and development programs, as well as links employee development to other parts of the talent management lifecycle, including performance management and succession planning. The company?s Cornerstone Performance Cloud allows clients to direct and measure performance at the individual, departmental, and organizational level through competency management, organizational goal setting, performance appraisal, compensation management, and development planning. Its Cornerstone Extended Enterprise Cloud helps clients extend learning and talent management to their customers, vendors, and distributors. The company also offers consulting services comprising impl ementation, integration, content, business consulting, and educational services; and account services, as well as resells third-party e-learning content. Its clients include multi-national corporations, large domestic enterprises, mid-market companies, public sector organizations, higher education institutions, and non-profit entities. The company sells its solution and services directly through its own sales force in North America and Europe; and indirectly through domestic and international network of distributors. Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Santa Monica, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Taulli]

  In the latest quarter, ServiceNow saw a 62% spike in revenues to$139 million. There were also nine new transactions with annual contract values in excess of $1 million and one deal was more than $10 million. ServiceNow is also a big generator of cash flows, which came to $24.2 million in Q1.

  Cloud Companies to Buy: Cornerstone OnDemand (CSOD)

  Compared to other cloud companies, Cornerstone OnDemand (CSOD) often gets overlooked. But the company is actually another pioneer — and has built a solid business in the category for talent management, such helps�with recruiting, hiring and onboarding.

• [By Tom Taulli]

  Workday stock suffered from a big selloff over the past few months, as have most other cloud companies like ServiceNow (NOW), Veeva Systems (VEEV) and Cornerstone OnDemand (CSOD). After reaching an all-time high of $115 in late February, WDAY quickly tumbled to a low of $59.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  First up is Cornerstone OnDemand (CSOD), a $2.57 billion software stock that's been on a tear in 2013. Since the first trading session of the year, CSOD has rallied more than 69%. But the upside could be over thanks to a bearish setup that's been forming in shares.

  CSOD is currently forming a descending triangle pattern, a bearish setup that's formed by a horizontal support level below shares at $46 and downtrending resistance to the upside. Basically, as CSOD bounces in between those two technical price levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakdown below $46. When that happens, we've got a sell signal.

  $46 gets some extra strength as a support level because it acted as resistance for shares on the way up back in the summer. The fact that buyers assigned some extra significance to $46 makes it a level that's worth watching on the way down. The 50-day moving average has been a good proxy for resistance on the way down. If you decide to bet against CSOD from here, that's where you'll want to keep a protective stop.

• [By John Udovich]

  As US and global economies recover, hiring should increase with overlooked recruitment related stocks like Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc (NASDAQ: CSOD), 51job, Inc (NASDAQ: JOBS) and Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (OTCBB: STAF) being among the first to benefit aside from those who have found employment:

Hot Performing Companies To Watch In Right Now: Werner Enterprises Inc (WERN)

Werner Enterprises, Inc., incorporated on September 14, 1982, is a transportation and logistics company engaged primarily in hauling truckload shipments of general commodities in both interstate and intrastate commerce. The Company also provides logistics services through its value added services (VAS) division. As of the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company had a fleet of 7,150 trucks, of which 6,505 were Company-operated and 645 were owned and operated by independent contractors. The Company operates in two segments: Truckload Transportation Services (Truckload) and VAS.

Truckload segment

The Company's Truckload segment consists of the One-Way Truckload and Specialized Services units. One-Way Truckload includes the operating fleets: the regional short-haul (Regional) fleet transports a variety of consumer nondurable products and other commodities in truckload quantities within geographic regions across the United States using dry van trailers; the medium-to-long-haul van (Van) fleet provides comparable truckload van service over irregular routes, and the expedited (Expedited) fleet provides time-sensitive truckload services utilizing driver teams.

Specialized Services provides truckload services dedicated to a specific customer, generally for a retail distribution center or manufacturing facility, including services for products requiring specialized trailers such as flatbed or temperature-controlled trailers. The Company's Truckload fleets operate throughout the 48 contiguous United States, both common and contract, granted by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The Company also has authority to operate in several provinces of Canada and to provide through-trailer service into and out of Mexico. The principal types of freight the Company transports include retail store merchandise, consumer products, grocery products and manufactured products. The Company focuses on transporting consumer nondurable products that generally ship.

!

VAS segment

The Company's VAS segment is a non-asset-based transportation and logistics provider. VAS is consists of four operating units that provide non-trucking services to the Company's customers: truck brokerage (Brokerage) uses contracted carriers to complete customer shipments; freight management (Freight Management) offers a range of single-source logistics management services and solutions; the intermodal (Intermodal) unit offers rail transportation through alliances with rail and drayage providers as an alternative to truck transportation, and Werner Global Logistics international (WGL) provides complete management of global shipments from origin to destination using a combination of air, ocean, truck and rail transportation modes. The Company's Brokerage unit had transportation services contracts with approximately 9,400 carriers as of December 31, 2012.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Werner Enterprises (NASDAQ: WERN) shares dropped 4.83% to $23.23 in pre-market trading after the company issued a weak third-quarter profit forecast.

Hot Performing Companies To Watch In Right Now: Diageo plc(DEO)

Diageo plc engages in producing, distilling, brewing, bottling, packaging, distributing, developing, and marketing spirits, beer, and wine products worldwide. It offers a range of brands, including Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, Smirnoff vodka and Smirnoff ready to drink products, Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur, Crown Royal Canadian whisky, Captain Morgan rum and rum based products, Jose Cuervo tequila, JeB scotch whisky, Buchanan?s scotch whisky, Windsor Premier scotch whisky, Ketel One vodka, Ciroc vodka, Tanqueray gin, Bushmills Irish whiskey, and Guinness stout. The company also provides other spirits brands that comprise Gordon?s gin and vodka, Old Parr scotch whisky, Bell?s scotch whisky, The Classic Malts scotch whiskies, Seagram?s 7 Crown whiskey and Seagram?s VO whisky, Cacique rum, White Horse scotch whisky, Don Julio tequila, and Bundaberg rum. In addition, it offers beer under various brands, such as Malta Guinness non-alcoholic malt, Harp lager, Tu sker lager, Smithwick?s ale, Senator lager, and Red Stripe lager; and wine under a range of brands, including Blossom Hill, Sterling Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard, Navarro Correas, Acacia Vineyard, Rosenblum Cellars, Piat d?Or, Chalone Vineyard, and Santa Rita. Further, Diageo plc owns the distribution rights for the Jose Cuervo tequila brands in North America and internationally. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend]

  Diageo (DEO) has a market capitalization of $82.10 billion. The company employs 27,483 people, generates revenue of $17.718 billion and has a net income of $4.020 billion. Diageo�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $6.095 billion. The EBITDA margin is 34.40% (the operating margin is 30.01% and the net profit margin 22.69%).

• [By Alex Planes, Sean Williams, and Travis Hoium]

  In that spirit, we three Fools have banded together to find the market's best and worst stocks, which we'll rate on The Motley Fool's CAPS system as outperformers or underperformers. We'll be accountable for every pick based on the sum of our knowledge and the balance of our decisions. Today, we'll be discussing Diageo (NYSE: DEO  ) , one of the world's top purveyors of alcohol.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s CIO Howard Ward likes Luxottica (LUX), Novo Nordisk (NOVO), Diageo (DEO), Apple (AAPL) and CVS (CVS).

  �

• [By Gordon Pape]

  Diageo plc (DEO). It's hard to lose money on booze and this is the world's largest liquor company. Based in London, it controls many of the best-known brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Bushmills, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray, Guinness, and a host of others.

Hot Performing Companies To Watch In Right Now: Bill Barrett Corp (BBG)

Bill Barrett Corporation explores for and develops oil and natural gas in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had four active development programs, including the Gibson Gulch area in the Piceance Basin, the Uinta Oil Program in the Uinta Basin, the West Tavaputs area in the Uinta Basin and, following an acquisition in August 2011, a primarily oil program in the Denver-Julesburg Basin. The Company holds acreage in a number of basins with plans for drilling activity in the Powder River, Southern Alberta, Paradox and San Juan Basins. Among its four key development programs, three of the programs target oil and high British Thermal Unit (BTU) content natural gas that can be processed into natural gas liquids (NGLs), while its exploration program is exclusively focused on oil and high BTU content natural gas. On December 31, 2012, the Company sold its natural gas assets to an affiliate of Vanguard Natural Resources, LLC. In December 2013, Bill Barrett Corp closed its sale of the West Tavaputs natural gas property located in the Uinta Basin, Utah to affiliates of EnerVest, Ltd.

Piceance Basin

The Piceance Basin is located in northwestern Colorado. As of December 31, 2011, its estimated proved reserves was 596 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had interests in 826 gross (779.8 net) producing wells, and it serves as the operator in 796 gross producing wells. As of December 31, 2011, it held 42,633 net undeveloped acres, including the Cottonwood Gulch prospect. As of December 31, 2011, it was in the process of drilling three gross (three net) wells and waiting to complete 44 gross (44 net) wells within the Piceance Basin.

The Gibson Gulch area is a basin-centered gas play along the north end of the Divide Creek anticline near the eastern limits of the Piceance Basin�� productive Mesaverde (Williams Fork) trend at depths of approximately 7,500 feet. Its natural gas production in this ! basin is gathered through its own gathering system and EnCana Oil & Gas Corporation�� gathering system and delivered to markets through a variety of pipelines, including pipelines owned by Questar Pipeline Company, Northwest Pipeline, Colorado Interstate Gas, TransColorado Pipeline, Wyoming Interstate Gas Company Pipeline and Rockies Express Pipeline LLC. The energy content of its Piceance gas is 1.15 BTU per cubic foot and the natural gas is processed at an Enterprise Products Partners L.P. plant in Meeker, Colorado.

Uinta Basin

The Uinta Basin is located in northeastern Utah. As of December 31, 2011, in West Tavaputs Area, it had the estimated proved reserves was 460.7 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, it had interests in 271 gross (258 net) producing wells, and it serves as the operator in 271 gross producing wells. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the net production was 32 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, it held 22,618 net undeveloped acres, along with 16,119 net acres that are subject to drill-to-earn agreements. As of December 31, 2011, it was in the process of drilling one gross (one net) well and waiting to complete 17 gross (12.5 net) wells.

The Company serves as operator of its interests in the West Tavaputs Area. As of December 31, 2011, it had identified 622 potential drilling locations and 460.7 billions of cubic feet equivalents of estimated proved reserves with a weighted average working interest of 96%. The Company is actively drilling its shallow program, which targets the gas-productive sands of the Wasatch and Mesaverde formations at depths down to 7,600 feet on average. The Company drilled 92 wells during the year ended December 31, 2011, and completed 89 wells. Two of the new wells during 2011, targeted the Mancos and Niobrara formations to test these deeper horizons. Additionally, two recompletions were performed on existing wells in the Mancos and Niobrara formations. T runni! ng a one ! rig drilling program to drill and complete wells in the Wasatch and Measverde formations in the West Tavaputs area of the Uinta Basin. Its natural gas production in the West Tavaputs Area is gathered through its own gathering systems and delivered into Questar Pipeline Company and Three Rivers Gathering, LLC. Gas delivered into Questar Pipeline is processed by Questar Transportation Services Company, and gas delivered into Three Rivers Gathering can be processed by QEP Field Services Co and Chipita Processing LLC. Gas can then be marketed through a variety of pipelines including Questar Pipeline Company, Northwest Pipeline, CIG, Ruby Pipeline LLC, Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, and Wyoming Interstate Gas Company Pipeline.

The Uinta Oil Program is a fractured oil play with multiple pay zones. The program consists of three main areas of development, including Blacktail Ridge, Lake Canyon and newly acquired East Bluebell. As of December 31, 2011, it had identified three formations: the Green River, Wasatch and Uteland Butte, with 1,688 potential drilling locations and 172.8 billions of cubic feet equivalents of estimated proved reserves and a weighted average working interest of 54%. The Company is also in the planning stages of selecting 80 acre pilot test areas across the field. It is running a three rig drilling program in the Uinta Oil Program which may be adjusted throughout the year as business conditions and operating results warrant.

The Blacktail Ridge area consists of both vertical and horizontal wells that target the Wasatch, Green River, Uteland Butte and Mahogany formations. At December 31, 2011, it had an acreage position of 23,037 net acres with an additional 16,660 net acres subject to drill-to-earn agreements. Under its exploration and development agreement with the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, (Ute Tribe), and Ute Development Corporation, it serves as operator and has the right to earn a minimum of a 50% working interest in all formation! s. Throug! h December 31, 2011, it had earned 17,588 gross (8,794 net) tribal acres in this area. The Ute Tribe assigned its participation rights pursuant to the exploration and development agreement to Ute Energy Corporation (Ute Energy).

The Lake Canyon area consists of both vertical and horizontal wells that target the Wasatch, Green River, and Uteland Butte formations. At December 31, 2011, it had an acreage position of 21,595 net acres with an additional 44,228 net acres subject to drill-to-earn agreements. Under the amended exploration and development agreement with the Ute Tribe and Ute Development Corporation, it operates the northern block of Lake Canyon (consisting of 19,781 net tribal acres) with a 75% working interest, and its industry partner operates the southern block where it retains a 25% working interest. The agreement also requires the Company and its industry partner to drill at least two wells per year from 2012 through 2015 and an additional 14 wells at some point between 2012 and 2015. Through December 31, 2011, it had earned 10,200 gross (4,640 net) tribal acres in this area. The Ute Tribe assigned its participation rights pursuant to the Lake Canyon amended agreement to Ute Energy.

On June 8, 2011, the Company closed on an acquisition of oil properties and related assets in the Uinta Basin referred to as East Bluebell. The acquired properties, which consist of 20,413 net acres, are located approximately 35 miles east-northeast of the Blacktail Ridge and Lake Canyon projects with a mixture of fee, state, federal and tribal minerals both unitized and non-unitized. Three federal units exist within the acquired leasehold, Aurora Unit, Ouray Valley Unit and Roosevelt Unit. Also included in the acquisition was associated gathering and transportation infrastructure.

Denver-Julesburg Basin

The Denver-Julesburg Basin (DJ Basin) is located in Colorado�� eastern plains and parts of southern Wyoming, western Kansas and western Nebraska. As of D! ecember 3! 1, 2011, its estimated proved reserves were 41.1 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, it had interests in 216 gross (156.6 net) producing wells, and it serves as operator in 148 gross wells. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held 52,075 net undeveloped acres. As of December 31, 2011, it was in the process of drilling one gross (one net) well and waiting to complete two gross (two net) wells within the DJ Basin. The main oil and gas formations being targeted in the DJ Basin are the tight Muddy J Sandstone, Codell Sandstone and the Niobrara.

On August 16, 2011, it closed on an acquisition of oil and gas properties in the DJ Basin. This acquisition included approximately 26,416 gross (17,074 net) development and exploratory acreage in the Niobrara oil play in the Borie, Chalk Bluffs and Briggsdale prospect areas of Laramie County, Wyoming and Weld County, Colorado. With the acquisition, it also obtained operatorship of 126 producing wells and an interest in another 60 non-operated wells. The Company acquired another 21,903 gross acres (14,800 net) in the Niobrara oil and gas play in the Greater Wattenberg Area of Weld and Adams Counties in Colorado. The Company is running a one rig drilling program to drill and complete horizontal wells targeting oil in the Niobrara formation in the DJ Basin.

Powder River Basin

The Powder River Basin is primarily located in northeastern Wyoming. Its development operations are conducted in its coalbed methane (CBM) fields along with a Powder River Deep Program targeting oil. As of December 31, 2011, its estimated proved reserves were 55.7 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, it had interests in 742 gross (472 net) producing wells and it serves as operator in 580 gross wells. As of December 31, 2011, it held 45,652 net undeveloped acres. During 2011, the Company�� net production was 13.2 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was not in the process of! drilling! or completing any CBM wells within the Powder River Basin. Coalbed methane wells are drilled to 1,200 feet on average, targeting the Big George Coals. Its natural gas production in this basin is gathered through gathering and pipeline systems owned by Fort Union Gas Gathering, LLC and Thunder Creek Gas Services.

The Company�� Powder River Deep Program consists of vertical and horizontal wells targeting various Cretaceaous oil bearing horizons, including the Parkman, Sussex, Shannon, Niobrara, Turner and Frontier formations. The Company also has an interest in an active Parkman waterflood. At December 31, 2011, it had an interest in 51 gross (10.7 net) producing wells with estimated net proved reserves of three billions of cubic feet equivalents, and it serve as operator in seven gross wells. The Company has increased its net acreage position to 27,201 net acres throughout 2011, along with 11,141 net acres that are subject to drill-to-earn agreements.

Wind River Basin

The Wind River Basin is located in central Wyoming. The Company�� activities are concentrated primarily in the eastern Wind River Basin, along the greater Waltman Arch, where it generally serves as operator. In addition, it has a number of exploration projects, some of which are in areas of the Wind River Basin where it has no existing development operations. As of December 31, 2011, its Estimated proved reserves was 35.2 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had interests in 152 gross (144.3 net) producing wells, and it serves as operator in 148 gross wells. During 2011, its net production was 5.3 billions of cubic feet equivalents. As of December 31, 2011, it held 180,273 net undeveloped acres. As of December 31, 2011, it was not in the process of drilling or completing wells within the Wind River Basin. its natural gas production in this basin is gathered through its own gathering systems and delivered to markets through pipelines owned by Kinder Morgan Inte! rstate (K! MI) and Colorado Interstate Gas (CIG).

Paradox Basin

The Paradox Basin is located in southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah. As of December 31, 2011, it had interests in six gross (5.9 net) producing, or capable of producing, wells, and it serves as operator in six gross wells. As of December 31, 2011, it held 365,988 net undeveloped acres. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was not in the process of drilling or completing wells within the Paradox Basin. Its Paradox Basin prospect targets oil, natural gas and associated natural gas liquids from the Gothic and Hovenweep shales at average vertical depths of 5,800 and 5,700 feet, respectively. Through December 31, 2011, it had drilled four exploratory vertical wells to gather rock property data and nine horizontal well bores in the Gothic shale. Six of the horizontal wells were on production at various times in 2011, of which two have continually produced from inception and thus far exhibit flat decline curves. It serves as operator in this area where it has a working interest of approximately 100%.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Haigh]

  Honda Motor Co. (7267), which gets 83 percent of its revenue abroad, lost 5 percent in Tokyo as the yen strengthened against the dollar on the week. Billabong International Ltd. (BBG) plunged 28 percent after posting a loss more than three times the market value of the Australian surfwear maker and saying its core brand was worthless. Fraser & Neave Ltd. (FNN), controlled by Thailand�� richest man, gained 2.3 percent in Singapore on plans to spin off its property business.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Bill Barrett (NYSE: BBG) shares were also up, gaining 8.36 percent to $26.83 on Q1 results. The company reported its Q1 adjusted loss of $0.05 per share. Mizuho Securities upgraded Bill Barrett from Neutral to Buy and lifted the price target from $27.00 to $29.00.

• [By Yoshiaki Nohara]

  Man Wah Holdings Ltd. (1999), a furniture maker that gets 51 percent of its sales in the U.S., gained 9.2 percent in Hong Kong. Daiwa Securities Group Inc., Japan�� second-largest brokerage, rebounded 12 percent after slumping yesterday. Billabong International Ltd. (BBG), the Australian surfwear company that has breached debt-payment terms, plunged 49 percent after takeover talks with two suitors ended.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Bill Barrett (NYSE: BBG  ) reported earnings on May 2. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Bill Barrett missed estimates on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.