Jason Hall

J.C. Penney recently announced today that it was "acting to protect the company's valuable NOLs" by extending the company's poison pill until 2017. The thing is, it looks like management and the board are more worried about a buyout attempt, or activist investors than the value of the losses towards future tax reduction.

After strong runups in 2013, are Chipotle Mexican Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Chuy's Holdings set to fall in 2014?

Nucor just released another stellar earnings report, and in a terrible market for steel and iron. How will this best-in-class steelmaker benefit from the upturn in U.S. manufacturing, and its hedge against natural gas prices going up? How do peers AK Steel and United States Steel stack up in comparison?

Between "too big to fail" and potential regulations on shipping oil by rail, Berkshire Hathaway has two threats that could impede its profits. Is American International Group a better long-term investment, with less complication as from Berkshire's non-insurance holdings?

If you're looking for the top dividend stocks for 2014, these three companies might have some hidden value that makes them great long-term investments.

Toll Brothers just announced a new land acquisition that could net $2.6 billion in home sales. How much growth will it really get from the deal, and where does it stand versus Meritage Homes and fellow luxury builder and NVR, Inc subsidiary NVHomes?

Vestas Wind Systems, GT Advanced Technologies, and Cheniere Energy have all crushed the market over the past year. Is now a good time to buy, or should you get out while the gettin's good?

T. Boone Pickens thinks the U.S. should cut off imports from OPEC countries. Not only would this result in harm to his own Clean Energy Fuels, but it would be devastating for domestic producers like Ultra Petroleum and Continental Resources.

Will Under Armour's massive growth, partly driven by its active role in hunting and outdoors apparel, help it close the gap between it and Nike?

Apple may be one of the most focused companies on the planet, which is what has led it to be so successful for more than a decade. Similarly, ExxonMobil's leadership is as focused on execution as any in the energy game. But, Google's culture of experimentation -- in some ways, the antithesis of the discipline at ExxonMobil and Apple -- will lead it to become the world's most valuable company within the next three years.

After heavy spending for the past several years to build a refueling network for truckers, will Clean Energy Fuels finally turn profitable in 2014? Probably not, but its relationships with GE and UPS will help it move much closer.

Struggling retailer J.C. Penney's announcement that it will close 33 stores and lay off 2,000 employees is a step it must take, but with Sears Holdings in a similar situation, announcing terrible results, while competitor Macy's continues to exceed expectations, is it too little, too late?

With its announcement that it will begin allowing individuals and smaller organizations to buy secured debt in its solar projects, SolarCity is taking a play out of the playbook for traditional utilities like Duke Energy and Southern Company, and then turning it upside down. Will this be wildly successful, or a big failure?

For investors looking for value stocks in 2014, it's important to look past the numbers and see the whole story behind the companies you're investing in. Let's take a close look at Berkshire Hathaway, American International Group, and Annaly Capital Management.

While Tesla's stock has set the investing world ablaze, companies in the middle of the natural gas vehicle business like Westport Innovations have seen the market turn, even as large truck fleets from companies like UPS start to shift large numbers of trucks to the cleaner (domestic) alternative to diesel. With natural gas vehicle growth over the next decade to have a larger impact than EVs, will Mister Market ever catch on?

Mortgage originations are expected to fall as much as 20% next year, and participation in the job market is at a 35-year low. How does this bode for Zillow and competitor Trulia? What does any of this have to do with LinkedIn?

Berkshire Hathaway's exposure to oil and gas has increased by billions over the past two years, and now includes ExxonMobil and National Oilwell Varco, on top of ConocoPhillips and Phillips 66. But one of these positions may not be a part of the portfolio this time next year.

Solar stocks like SunPower, GT Advanced Technologies, First Solar, and Trina Solar were all way up in 2013. Will we see a major correction in 2014?

If you're worried that the market is peaking, and thinking about new investment strategies in 2014, there's one proven method that's worth considering.

The latest jobs report had some troubling data: More people leaving the workforce left more than 37% of Americans not working, and 13% of those working are "underemployed." Will the growing number of those giving up on the job market -- plus those just not having enough work -- hurt the prospects of Cheniere Energy and Ultra Petroleum? What about natural gas vehicle engine makers Cummins and Westport Innovations?