Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now

The team of Larry Ellison, the founder and Chief Executive of Oracle Corporation (NASDAQ:ORCL), may have won the thirty-fourth America's Cup. However, it could be difficult for Ellison's corporate team to escape the discontent from shareholders, who are against higher pay packages for Oracle executives amid mixed results.

The shareholder angst comes as Oracle has reduced the compensation of all the key executives including Ellison who even turned down a bonus of $1.2 million for the past year as Oracle's growth missed expectations

The key reason for the shareholder displeasure stems from the stock option awards. They argue that Ellison, who beneficially owns a quarter of the company's shares, continues to receive tens of millions of dollars of stock options every year, despite Oracle's mixed financial performance. They could show their discontent at the business software maker's�Oct. 31�annual meeting.

10 Best Freight Stocks To Watch Right Now: IB Securities Joint Stock Co (VIX)

IB Securities Joint Stock Company, formerly XuanThanh Securities Joint Stock Company is a Vietnam-based company engaged in the provision of investment services. It provides securities brokerage services through multiple forms, such as VOpen, VSHM, VTrade, VPhone, VMobile and VSMS. The Company is also involved in securities trading, as well as the provision of investment advice, custody services and underwriting services. In addition, it provides financial services for corporate events, such as corporate restructurings, equitizations, stock listings, share auctions, mergers and acquisitions, equity offerings and bond offerings. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aubrey Pringle]

  The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index (VIX), which measures future volatility signaled by S&P 500 options, fell 1.5 percent to 12.19, the lowest since Aug. 5. The gauge lost 5.5 percent this week to extend its drop for the year to 32 percent.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited (ASA)

ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited is a self management investment trust. The firm invests in the public equity markets across the globe. It primarily invests in stocks of companies engaged in the exploration, mining or processing of gold, silver, platinum, diamonds, or other precious minerals. ASA Gold and Precious Metals Limited was founded in 1958 and is based in San Mateo, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joe Eqcome]

  Actionable Items:

  Highest Positive Spread: Nuveen Mortgage Opportunity Term Fund (JLS)Focus Stock: LMP Real Estate Income Fund (RIT)Last Week's Focus Stock: ASA Gold and Precious Metals (ASA)

  ECB cuts its rates: The European Central Bank (ECB) will cut its benchmark rate a quarter-of-a-point to 0.5%.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: W.R. Berkley Corporation(WRB)

W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company, operates as commercial lines writers in the property casualty insurance business primarily in the United States. The company operates in five segments: Specialty, Regional, Alternative Markets, Reinsurance, and International. The Specialty segment underwrites third-party liability risks, primarily excess, and surplus lines, including premises operations, professional liability, commercial automobile, products liability, and property lines. The Regional segments provide commercial insurance products to small-to-mid-sized businesses, and state and local governmental entities primarily in the 45 states of the United States. The Alternative Markets segment develops, insures, reinsures, and administers self-insurance programs and other alternative risk transfer mechanisms. This segment offers its services to employers, employer groups, insurers, and alternative market funds, as well as provides a range of fee-based servic es, including consulting and administrative services. The Reinsurance segment engages in the underwriting property casualty reinsurance on a treaty and a facultative basis, including individual certificates and program facultative business; and specialty and standard reinsurance lines, and property and casualty reinsurance. The International segment offers personal and commercial property casualty insurance in South America; commercial property casualty insurance in the United Kingdom and continental Europe; and reinsurance in Australia, Southeast Asia, and Canada. The company was founded in 1967 and is based in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  W.R. Berkley (NYSE: WRB)is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.74 per share on revenue of $1.57 billion.

  V.F. Corp (NYSE: VFC) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $3.78 per share on revenue of $3.34 billion.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  For the past several years, Berkshire has contrasted its own cost-free float provided by profitable underwriting against the industry�� (unimpressive) tendency to lose money on underwriting while generating net returns from investment income. So far, so good. Less edifying, though, is the repeated contrast of Berkshire�� track record of profitability to State Farm��…even though, as a mutual company, State Farm�� profitability goals are inherently different from for-profit insurers like Berkshire. It�� true that through year-end 2013, Berkshire�� underwriters have ��ow operated at an underwriting profit for eleven consecutive years,��but so have ACE (ACE), American Financial (AFG),� AmTrust Financial (AFSI), Arch Capital (ACGL), Chubb (CB), HCC (HCC), Progressive (PGR), RLI (RLI), and W.R. Berkley (WRB), any or all of whom provide a more meaningful comparison than contrasting Berkshire�� results to a company that�� not out to produce a profit in the first place.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (FRFHF.PK)

Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (Fairfax) is a financial services holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, is principally engaged in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance and the associated investment management. The Company�� segments consist of Insurance, Reinsurance, Insurance and Reinsurance Other, Runoff, and Corporate and Other. On December 22, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of 75% interests in Sporting Life Inc. On August 16, 2011, the Company acquired William Ashley China Corporation. On March 24, 2011, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fairfax completed the acquisition of The Pacific Insurance Berhad. On February 9, 2011, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Fairfax completed the acquisition of First Mercury Financial Corporation. In October 2012, its RiverStone runoff subsidiary acquired all the outstanding shares of Brit Insurance Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Jordon]

  There's talk that Prem Watsa, head of Fairfax Financial Holdings (FRFHF.PK), could possibly be involved in a privatization bid for the company. Consider:

• [By Infinity Group]

  With 515 million shares outstanding, this equates to 33% of all shares being shorted. It should also be noted that Prem Watsa's Fairfax Financial Holdings (FRFHF.PK) is holding 51.8 million BlackBerry shares. Prem Watsa stated at the annual FairFax shareholders meeting that Fairfax is holding a long position with BlackBerry and anticipates shareholder value increasing over the next 2-3 years. The cost basis for FairFax financial holdings is approximately $17 per BlackBerry share.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: SPDR S&P Emerging Middle East & Africa ETF (GAF)

SPDR S&P Emerging Middle East & Africa ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the total return performance of the S&P/Citigroup BMI Middle East & Africa Index (the Index). The Index is a market capitalization-weighted index that defines and measures the investable universe of publicly traded companies domiciled in emerging Middle Eastern and African markets. The Index is float adjusted, meaning that only those shares publicly available to investors are included in the Index calculation. The Fund uses a passive management strategy designed to track the price and yield performance of the Index. The Fund�� investment manager is SSgA Funds Management, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Powell]

  For long-term investing, we continue to recommend Africa Funds��he iShares South Africa (EZA), the SPDR Mideast & Africa (GAF), and the TRP Africa & Mideast (LX:TRPMEAI).

Top Financial Companies To Invest In Right Now: Bank of South Carolina Corp.(BKSC)

Bank of South Carolina Corporation operates as the holding company for The Bank of South Carolina that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals, and small and medium-sized businesses in South Carolina. The company accepts a range of deposit products, which include checking accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, savings accounts, individual retirement accounts, and other time deposits, such as daily money market accounts and longer-term certificates of deposit. It also offers various commercial loans, including secured and unsecured loans for working capital, business expansion, and purchasing machinery and equipment; mortgage loans; industrial loans; real estate loans; loans to individuals for household, family, and other personal expenditures; and other loans, including overdrafts. In addition, the company provides Internet banking services, including online bill pay and remote deposit capture; credit cards; check card services; and saf e deposit boxes, letters of credit, travelers checks, direct deposit of payroll, social security and dividend payments, and automatic payment of insurance premiums and mortgage loans. Further, it offers a courier service and ACH origination service as part of its deposit services for commercial customers; and a portfolio of wealth management/trust, investment, and retirement services. The company has four banking house locations in Charleston, Summerville, and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina. It serves customers in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Financial institutions holding company Bank of South Carolina (BKSC) raised its dividend 8.3% to 13 cents per share, payable on Oct. 31 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 7.
  BKSC Dividend Yield: 3.72%